Charleston City Paper 01/09/2026 - 29.24

New food, bev trends for 2026 Awendaw’s mayor says

VOL 29 ISSUE 24 • JAN. 9, 9, 2026 • charlestoncitypaper.com

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fight over development not over

Leslie Skardon

to balance leadership, family and the heart of Charleston

Ashley Stanol

01.09.26

Volume 29 • Issue 24

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News

New bills focus on taxes, crime, culture war page 6

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“What do the people of Awendaw want most?

It’s for the building to slow down — it’s to preserve the rural community.

That’s why they live here.”

—Awendaw Mayor Chris Crolley

Fight over Awendaw’s development not finished, new mayor says

News 01.09.2026

By Skyler Baldwin

4

New Awendaw Mayor Chris Crolley, a proud environmentalist and owner of Coastal Expeditions touring company, said one of his greatest responsibilities and priorities is to preserve the rural character of the small town north of Mount Pleasant.

A big part of that hinges on the future of a previously approved development on the town’s White Tract that may ultimately have 200 homes in a dense area — each on its own septic tank waste system. The S.C. Supreme Court Crolley on Dec. 18 paused the development, but that’s only a temporary hold, said Crolley, elected in a tight runoff in November 2025..

The White Tract rests on the doorstep of one of the state’s most pristine and highest protected wilderness areas, the Cape Romain Wildlife Refuge, making potential environmental threats from any malfunctioning septic tanks all the more palpable.

Still, Crolley said, he hopes Awendaw will never switch over to the alternative — a sewer system.

“That’s the death knell for any rural community,” he told the Charleston City Paper.

“Once you get sewer, the developers swarm like flies. Awendaw would be over. It would look like some kind of experiment gone wrong, and we would have lost all the character that made this community unique.”

So rather than fight back against septic systems like other Lowcountry towns and neighborhoods, Crolley said his goal is to fight development altogether.

“What do the people of Awendaw want most? It’s for the building to slow down — it’s to preserve the rural community,” he said. “That’s why they live here.”

Protected lands threatened

Cape Romain and its largest barrier island, Bull Island, represent one of the largest

AWENDAW

HANAHAN

NORTH CHARLESTON

MOUNT PLEASANT Daniel Island Isle of Palms

CHARLESTON Sullivan’s Island Johns Island

James Island

Morris Island

Septic tank locations* Charleston Water System Mount Pleasant Waterworks

Folly Island

James Island Wastewater

Sources: Charleston Water System; Mount Pleasant Waterworks; James Island Public Service District

Charleston City Paper

Lowcountry septic hotspots The red in this map reflects areas in Charleston County where septic tank use for effluent is typical and highlights opportunities for water systems to connect neighborhoods to sewer systems to reduce environmental impacts from septic wastewater. *NOTE: James Island Public Service District only notes areas where septic tanks may be the only option. swathes of protected lands on the east coast. More than half of its 22-mile stretch is designated as Class 1 wilderness, a federal distinction that affords the highest levels of protection and conservation.

“It’s some of the most significant protected coastal ecosystems in the country,”

said S.C. Sen. Chip Campsen, R-Charleston.

“To have a high-density development on septic tanks contiguous to the border of the Cape Romain Wildlife Refuge, just a stone’s throw from the waterway … will degrade CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

The

Rundown Boykin is new chair of county council Charleston County Council members voted 5-4 Tuesday to elect Republican Joe Boykin of Johns Island to be their chairman for 2026, succeeding Democratic member Kylon Middleton of West Ashley.

East Cooper area council member Larry Kobrovsky will continue to serve as vice-chair. Kobrovsky, one of five Republicans on council, was the swing vote. Last year, he voted with Democrats for Middleton.

Boykin and Kobrovsky got votes from fellow Republicans Jenny Honeycutt, Brantley Moody and Herb Sass. The pairing of Middleton and council member Rob Wehrman received four votes from Democrats: Middleton, Wehrman, Henry Darby and Teddie Pryor.

Boykin’s first act as chairman was to recognize Middleton’s service and leadership through 2025, as well as his passion for resilience and sustainability.

Boykin was first elected in 2022 and has since outlined priorities including transportation infrastructure and increasing funding for the county’s popular greenbelt program. —Skyler Baldwin

“This building, the People’s House, was trashed, damaged and subjected to despicable acts. Insurrectionists waved Confederate battle flags and exhibited Nazi symbols, and some brave American citizens died. …

This was not a peaceful protest.

It was unadulterated violence.”

—U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., on the anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol which was spurred on my rhetoric by then-ousted President Donald Trump. Clyburn called this insurrection the potentially worst domestic attack on our government since the Civil War.

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New bills focus on taxes, crime, culture war

By Jack O’Toole, Capitol bureau Tax cuts for seniors? New protections for first responders? An end to drag queen story hours in public libraries?

Those are just a few of the ideas S.C. lawmakers proposed in 327 bills they pre-filed prior to the coming kickoff of the 2026 legislative session.

Below is an annual roundup of some of the most consequential, controversial and just plain interesting pre-filed bills awaiting action as lawmakers reconvene on Jan. 13.

Crime and punishment

Despite dramatic declines in national crime rates in 2025, crime will remain a major focus for S.C. lawmakers in the new session.

Attracting the most attention out of the gate is the Criminal Coercive Control Act (S. 702), sponsored by Georgetown Sen. Stephen Goldfinch, a 2026 GOP candidate for S.C. Attorney General. Inspired by the April 2024 death of Myrtle Beach resident Mica Miller and the subsequent allegations of abuse against her estranged husband, the bill would outlaw “a pattern of behavior that seeks to destroy the mental and emotional state of the other person [and] strip away the individual’s sense of self.”

Also up for debate in 2026 are bills that would require county sheriffs to participate in federal immigration enforcement efforts (H. 4764), criminalize the possession of abortion pills

Awendaw

News 01.09.2026

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

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the water quality and put a lot more pressure on that ecosystem.”

Campsen, whose district includes the wildlife refuge and other wilderness areas in and around Awendaw, said he pushed to have the land included in his district more than a decade ago.

“I just wanted to represent the natural resources,” he said. “If anyone wanted to mess with Cape Romain, I wanted them to have to deal with me first. I had hoped that day would never come, but now it has.”

Campsen said he has been outspoken against this development since it was first proposed.

“I grew up here,” he said. “I’ve spent a lifetime hunting and fishing and surfing these coastal resources. Anyone who really embraces and spends a lot of time there, if they have any appreciation for nature whatsoever, you can’t help but fall in love with it and want to protect it.”

(H. 4760), and establish penalties for interfering with the work of first responders (H. 4763).

On the environmental side, noteworthy bills include a measure to add the state’s chief resilience officer to the Conservation Bank board and encourage public access to bank-supported sites (H. 4765), and legislation mandating safety buffers between hazardous-materials facilities and schools (H. 4785).

Affordability and taxes

With inflation and tariffs continuing to punish S.C. consumers, several new bills promise to lower prices or put more money in residents’ pockets.

Among those bills, the most ambitious by far is H. 4817, a wide-ranging insurance reform package that aims to lower rates on homes, automobiles, health care and more. Co-sponsored by powerful S.C. House Speaker Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, the bill is expected to be a major priority in 2026.

Other pocketbook proposals garnering early attention include bills that would exempt senior citizens from property (H. 4580) and automobile (H. 4598) taxes, eliminate the sales tax on baby products (S. 742) and expand the current sales-taxfree back-to-school weekend to cover the entire month of August (S. 728).

Health and education

As the Trump administration’s health priorities continue to filter to the state level, several pre-filed bills reflect the controversial agenda of U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. These include legislation that would prohibit vaccine mandates for children under the age of 2 (S. 741), require the state health department to advertise the availability of vaccine mandate waivers Crolley agreed, adding that even if the lands weren’t federally protected, he would stand against the development.

“It’s not just about the law, what developers are legally allowed to do,” he said. “I’m framing this around what’s moral. This is just a bad place to develop.”

Septic tanks still a concern

While Crolley said his primary goal isn’t to eliminate septic tanks in Awendaw, environmental advocates across the Lowcountry have sounded the alarm about the danger they pose to surrounding environments.

“Septic tanks, even working ones, can be sources of bacteria and nutrient pollution in our coastal waterways,” Andrew Wunderley, executive director of Charleston Waterkeeper, said in a Dec. 25 report in the City Paper. “When a septic system is improperly sited or installed, leaks or is flooded, microbial and nutrient pollution move into nearby waterways and marshes.

“That means swimming and other

(H. 4803) and ban the addition of fluoride in public water systems (S. 743).

On education, major bills include legislation by Education Committee Chairman Sen. Greg Hembree, R-Horry, requiring home schoolers who receive state voucher money to study an approved curriculum (S.692) and a bill co-sponsored bySmith that would effectively end tenure at state colleges and universities (H. 4761).

Energy and environment

After last year’s passage of deregulatory energy legislation aimed at ramping up production, two new bills look to start setting guardrails. The first, sponsored

by S.C. Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, would deny eminent domain powers to privately owned pipeline companies (S. 689), potentially complicating plans for a new natural gas plant in Colleton County.

The second bill, introduced by Lancaster Republican Sen. Allen Blackmon, would require energy-hungry data centers to report their water usage to state officials on an annual basis (S. 724).

“

If anyone wanted to mess with Cape Romain, I wanted them to have to deal with me first. I had hoped that day would never come, but now it has.”

—Awendaw Mayor Chris Crolley

water-based recreational activities can expose people to disease-causing pathogens. It can also lead to closure of oyster beds for harvesting.”

Mount Pleasant is aiming to be a model for how to address these impacts, according to Mount Pleasant Waterworks General Manager Allan Clum. The town recently received a National Environmental

Culture war

With an open governor’s seat on the ballot in 2026 and culture war questions continuing to animate voters across the political spectrum, several pre-filed bills address perceived hot-button social issues head-on.

Among these are bills that would codify existing requirements that school children use the bathroom that matches the sex listed on their birth certificate (H. 4756), abolish the state Arts Commission (H. 4731) and designate each Oct. 14 Charlie Kirk Day (H. 4609) throughout the state of South Carolina — even though Kirk was not from the Palmetto State.

Other proposals likely to divide the 2026 electorate into culture-war camps include bills that would ban property ownership by the Chinese government or its citizens (H. 4787), deny state funding to venues where minors can see drag shows (S. 733) and require that the Ten Commandments be posted (H. 4762) in all S.C. classrooms.

CALENDAR: The S.C. House and Senate return to session for 2026 at noon Tuesday in Columbia.

Achievement Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies for its initiative to manage and abate septic tanks.

Crolley, however, said as long as the developments are small and spaced out, proper maintenance of the septic tanks are much less of a threat. He said he plans to introduce a building moratorium for the town until he can establish some ordinances that slow development and enforce stronger respect for the environment.

“Any developer who’s listening out there and paying attention: It’s a new day in Awendaw,” Crolley said. “The days of land grab and unsophisticated documents that let you have your way with the landscape are over. If you come — and we’d love to have you — don’t be developers. Be home-builders.”

Editor’s note: This is part two of a new occasional series following environmental policies to make the Lowcountry greener.

The first installment (Dec. 26) focused on how other Lowcountry leaders were pushing against septic tanks.

Poinsettia celebration building to 2028 climax

Blotter of the Week

By Herb Frazier

How it started

The idea for the project emerged in November 2024 when Long and Green were in Mexico City where the poinsettia grows to tree size. It was once used for medicinal purposes, cosmetics and to dye textiles.

Long said she and Green learned how negatively Mexicans feel about the misappropriation of the plant that was later cultivated into an inexpensive pot-sized variety

Provided

The 20 pieces of art in a traveling art exhibit, the Poinsettia Reimagined: Art, Migration, and the Legacy of Joel Roberts Poinsett, was recently on display at the Charleston Library Society. Maddox Allen, the society’s conservation assistant, used paper marbling techniques, to add one additional piece to the exhibit (inset). for international sales.

Long said she conceived of the idea of the celebration coupled with a traveling art exhibit, and Green supports it.

The Long-curated traveling exhibit, which includes two of Green’s original works of art, was the project’s opening salvo. The exhibit was on display at the Charleston County Main Library, and it recently closed at the Charleston Library Society.

It is scheduled to emerge again in late March at the USC Beaufort cultural center before it travels the world, Long said.

is “a great story of history” that led him to read Poinsett’s biography, Flowers, Guns, and Money: Joel Roberts Poinsett and the Paradoxes of American Patriotism.

Poinsett’s life and varied career, he said, is a synopsis of early American history.

Tecklenburg said he was also surprised to learn that Poinsett, a staunch federalist, was involved in the anti-nullification movement in the 1830s that stopped South Carolina from breaking away from the Union. The state, however, did so three decades later, leading to the Civil War.

A former mayor gets involved

A withering Mexican flower

Poinsett married into a family that enslaved people at the White House Plantation at the confluences of the Black and Pee Dee rivers in Georgetown County.

Peter Poinsett was enslaved there, Long said. He was the father of civil rights icon Septima Poinsett Clark, who the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. called the mother of the civil rights movement.

“The main point of the art exhibit is to show the remarkable transition” in one generation from Poinsett’s enslavement to Clark’s civil rights leadership, Long said.

Long recruited former Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg to help plan the project and raise money for it. Tecklenburg said he was aware of Poinsett’s connection to the plant, but he was surprised to learn of the ties between Poinsett and Clark.

When he stood at the podium in the council chamber at City Hall, Tecklenburg said he saw Poinsett’s portrait to his right on a wall and Clark’s portrait to his left. The relationship between Poinsett and Clark

In Mexico, the plant has several names, including “cuetlaxóchitl,” meaning “a flower that withers,” according to a Library of Congress story that explains Poinsett’s connection with the plant.

Poinsett sent specimens of the plant to Philadelphia botanist Robert Buist, who exhibited it for the first time at a flower show in 1829. The following year, he introduced the plant in Europe and proclaimed it “Euphorbia Poinsettia” in honor of Poinsett. Over time, admirers of the plant shortened its name to “poinsettia.” Poinsett died Dec. 12, 1851, before the plant achieved commercial success.

In the 19th century, The Vatican began using the ubiquitous Mexican flowers as Christmas decorations and then all Catholic churches adopted it as a holiday plant.

In the early 20th century, Albert Ecke, a German immigrant and commercial grower in Encinitas, Calif., and later his son, Paul, are said to be responsible for further elevating the plant’s mass cultivation and appeal.

A downtown woman on Dec. 29 reportedly led Charleston police on a high-speed chase (read that sarcastically) after she allegedly stole a motorized scooter from a local grocery store. The woman told police she routinely takes the scooter and then hides it in the bushes so it’s always available for her when she goes shopping. Also stolen: $4 worth of canned tuna. The tuna scooter bandit rides again!

Happy New Year!

North Charleston police on Jan. 1 responded to two calls after fireworks allegedly struck a vehicle and a pile of trash, which started burning. Police said a group of about 20 kids shooting them at each other. None of the children were caught. Franklly, we’re surprised there was only one report like this for this week’s Blotter. Great work, Charleston County!

Strike three, buddy Mount Pleasant police on Dec. 13 pulled over a man for speeding across the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge toward Morrison Drive. The man reportedly told officers that his license was suspended, and police confirmed this was actually his third offense for driving under suspension. Police arrested him, and his passenger drove his car back home. Better luck in 2026, man.

By Skyler Baldwin Illustration by Steve Stegelin The Blotter is taken from reports filed with area police departments between Dec. 13 and Jan. 1.

Go online for more even more Blotter charlestoncitypaper.com SPONSORED BY

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A group in Charleston supported by artist Jonathan Green is slowly planning an ambitious international celebration of the poinsettia to show how its global popularity as a vibrant holiday plant is rooted in the Holy City.

The Poinsettia Bicentennial International Celebration 2028 will culminate during the 200th anniversary of the flower’s debut in the United States, organizers said.

They seek to partner with communities across the country and globally to tell the poinsettia’s expansive story intertwined with the complex legacy of Charlestonnative Joel Roberts Poinsett, for whom the plant is named.

Poinsett was involved in many of the U.S. government’s major domestic and foreign policy decisions in the early 1800s while he served four American presidents. He also was a secret U.S. agent who supported Chile’s war for independence. As secretary of war, he oversaw the removal of Native Americans west along the Trail of Tears.

He was a botanist who helped to establish the Smithsonian Institution. When Poinsett was America’s first ambassador to Mexico, he sent the plant in 1828 to South Carolina, placing it on a path to become an international sensation.

He was also a trustee at the College of Charleston, president of the Charleston Library Society and a founder of the S.C. Historical Society.

“He touched almost everything you can think of, federal, state and local,” said Kim Cliett Long, project administrator of the Jonathan Green Maritime Cultural Center at the University of South Carolina Beaufort.

Organizers hope the project will spark conversations around Poinsett’s celebrated yet complicated career and life, she said. The planning group in Charleston is waiting for this year’s observance of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution to end before they pick up the pace for the poinsettia celebration, Long added.

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CHARLESTON

EDITORIAL

A protest ordinance worth protesting s the nation celebrates its 250th birthday this year, you can bet you’ll hear more about the fateful day in 1773 when a group of liberty-loving Charlestonians staged America’s first tea party, gathering at the Exchange Building on East Bay Street to protest Britain’s Tea Act. What you’re less likely to hear? That the very same protest today would likely get you tossed in the clink under the city’s performatively tough — and amusingly Orwellian — “First Amendment” ordinance.

That’s the one that says any protest involving 25 or more people requires a Charleston city government permission slip.

It essentially gives the Charleston Police Department effective control over the time, place and manner of free speech and free assembly throughout the city of Charleston. And that’s wrong and un-American.

The reasoning? Apparently, uh, public safety. Or law and order.

Or whatever other euphemism is being used these days by the mouth-clampers to justify telling our fellow citizens to sit down, shut up and get a respectable haircut for once, whydoncha?

Of course, defenders of the ordinance will say its so-called 48-hour rule — a clause that waives permit requirements for protests happening within two days of a breaking news event — meets the city’s obligation to the First Amendment.

Moreover, they’ll point to the night of May 30, 2020, when a “criminal mob” looted, set fires and vandalized shops on upper King Street following a tense but largely peaceful George Floyd protest march.

Hogwash and double hogwash.

Let’s take those almost reasonable-sounding arguments in

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order, starting with the wildly impractical 48-hour rule.

To take a recent example: We learned that President Donald Trump used military force to snatch the president of Venezuela at around 4 a.m. on Jan. 3. Sometime after 11 a.m. that day, we learned that he plans to “run” the country from Washington. Later still, and into the next day, the president made clear his interest in taking similar actions in Cuba, Colombia and Greenland.

When does the 48-hour clock on that event start exactly?

Can the police arrest anyone protesting at 4:01 a.m. Monday?

Or do they have to figure out whether individual protesters are demonstrating against the snatch, the power-grab or the threats to other countries before they slap on the cuffs? If that whole exercise sounds silly, it’s only because it is.

As for the May 30 “riot,” let’s be frank: The people who went to prison for their lawless actions that night weren’t the 2,000 or so political protesters who marched in the afternoon against police brutality. They were a very small group of repeat criminal offenders who hit King Street after dark.

What’s more, City Council passed its protest ordinance not in immediate response to that event, but more than a year later — after 14 months of peaceful protests following the May 30 mess.

All of this is not public safety. It’s CYA for politicians. And now more than four years later, it’s time to undo the damage with a citizen lawsuit challenging the ordinance or a simple vote of Charleston City Council to fix it.

Either would be the 250th birthday present that Charleston deserves.

CHECKLIST of community objectives

We encourage community leaders to act on these audacious priorities: 1. Deal with the water. Build a strong resiliency plan to harden infra structure and make smart climate change decisions about develop ment, roads and quality of life.

2. Fix roads, traffic. Repair and improve roads and reduce traffic.

Speed up alternatives, including more public transportation.

3. Be smarter about education.

Inject new energy into the broken Charleston County school board by focusing on kids, not national mantras.

4. Conduct public business in public.

Be transparent in public business.

Stop the secrecy.

5. Invest in quality of life. Build more parks. Have more festivals. Invest in infrastructure that promotes a broad sense of community.

6. Engage in real racial conciliation.

If we embark on more conversations and actions on racial reconciliation, our community will strengthen and grow.

7. Develop fewer hotels, more affordable housing. Make Charleston a more affordable place to live for everyone.

8. Develop Union Pier at scale.

Let’s not put ship-sized buildings on the coveted Union Pier property downtown. Instead, make what comes appropriate.

9. Build and follow a 50-year plan.

Plan for the county’s long-term future and follow the plan.

10. Pay people more. Pay a living wage.

Push South Carolina lawmakers to set a real minimum wage.

Regulate, protect state’s precious water resources By Andy Brack South Carolina leaders over the last 50 years have done a pretty good job protecting natural resources — from making sure beaches are open to buying land to protect special places.

But now another state resource — clean water — is threatened thanks to the nation’s competitive race to beat the Chinese on artificial intelligence, among other things. Big businesses like Google have a seemingly unquenchable thirst for more massive data centers, which require them to suck up water to cool supercomputers.

About 40 years ago when development activity threatened huge projects up and down the S.C. coast, state leaders had the foresight to approve one of the most prescient protection measures in the country: the Beachfront Management Act. Its purpose was to protect beaches and dunes from erosion and overdevelopment through state regulation of construction, including setbacks and limits on hard structures like seawalls.

Through the years, it’s stood the test of time.

About 20 years ago, Republicans and Democrats South Carolina’s in the Statehouse united to push through the S.C. Conservation Bank to do for the rest of the state rivers and streams what it essentially did for beaches and the coast are under increasing — to protect special places. This public policy has been wildly successful, too, with more than 419,000 strain due to a acres of land protected in 570 conservation projects across the state. The land bank has awarded more torrent of new than $377 million in conservation grants for land residents, industries worth more than $1.2 billion.

And now, it’s time for legislators to take serious and megafarms that action on the water we can see in rivers — and the threaten their longwater we can’t see in aquifers — to make sure that there’s enough for us to drink and for farmers to use term sustainability. responsibly to keep agribusiness thriving.

The state took a good opening step last year with a new water plan. But it’s a plan — not a requirement, law or regulation. According to a 200+ page draft report from November, South Carolina’s rivers and streams are under increasing strain due to a torrent of new residents, industries and megafarms that threaten their long-term sustainability.

Environmental advocates say the state’s 2010 Surface Water Act doesn’t go far enough in protecting rivers from huge water withdrawals — “97% of all withdrawals of 3 million gallons or more per month are effectively beyond the reach of state regulators, absent an emergency declaration by the governor,” according to a Nov. 28 story.

What needs to happen is for the state to step in to approve any largescale water withdrawal projects instead of counties being the arbiters of what’s allowed. Some counties likely have the foresight to keep water resources in mind, but others — particularly in rural areas like Andy Brack Colleton County where nine data centers are envisioned near the ACE is editor and River Basin — desperately need jobs and may be taken advantage of by publisher of billion-dollar businesses.

Charleston We encourage the General Assembly in 2026 to set up a blue-ribbon City Paper. commission of lawmakers and environmental advocates to develop a Have a draft of legislation with real teeth to conserve clean water — not just a comment? plan, but recommendations for new legislation that has the courage of Send to: laws passed 40 and 20 years ago, respectively, to protect the coast and feedback@ forests. Then pass it. charleston For now, one way that state lawmakers can take more than a baby step citypaper.com. forward is to give a quick hearing to a bill recently introduced by state Sen. Allen Blackmon, R-Lancaster. His S. 724 would require energyhungry data centers to report water usage to state officials annually. This would eliminate the void of information we have now about what is actually going on — and how many millions of gallons are being siphoned off to further threaten the state’s clean water resources.

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OPINION

9

EDITOR’S NOTE: Three fresh faces will join Charleston City Council on Jan. 13 when they’re sworn-in. Here’s more about who they are.

Skardon to balance leadership, family and the heart of Charleston

By Katarina Kunkle, special to the City Paper Leslie Skardon, who will be sworn in as a freshman member of Charleston City Council on Jan. 13, wants local government to feel more connected, transparent and community driven.

The James Island resident, who will be the only woman on the 12-member council, describes her ideal Saturday morning as starting with an iced cortado and a blueberry muffin from High Falutin Coffee on James Island. Then she heads to Sullivan’s Island with her twin boys and golden retriever. It’s a routine that captures everything she values about Charleston — family, nature and community.

“The beauty of this area is stunning,” Skardon said in a recent interview after winning a three-way race for council.

“We love living here because of the sea, the marshes, the green spaces, our trees — the opportunity to just be outside, on the water, in nature. And, of course, the people. There’s an incredible community here who really cares about each other.”

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Skardon said her deep sense of community is what pushed her to run for council to represent District 12 on James Island.

It’s an easy city to romanticize — until the tides rise, the streets crack and the practical work of governing begins. Skardon is quick to remind people that behind the beauty are problems that need fixing — and that’s where her focus is.

“City council is not a glamorous job,” she said. “This is about fixing potholes, making sidewalks, making our intersections safer, fixing flooding and ditches. But it’s the most fundamental building block of our community.”

Skardon said she believes a council member should be “the first person you call when you have an issue.” That philosophy of service, she said, is a deeply held family value — one she hopes to pass on to her sons.

During a recent parent-teacher conference, her campaign came up — but the teachers already knew. “They said, ‘Oh, Lawson is so proud of you — he talks about Mommy running for city council every

day,’ ” Skardon said with a smile. “Hearing that our little boys are proud of what I’m doing was such an incredible moment.”

Skardon is married to Sam Skardon, a former chairman of the Charleston County Democratic Party who previously ran for the state Senate.

As a working mother and CEO of the statewide nonprofit Sustain South Carolina, Skardon’s days are packed.

“I’ve spent my career working with businesses, engaging in public policy and focusing on sustainability,” Skardon said. “Leading Sustain SC is the manifestation of that work — bringing businesses together with state agencies, utilities and nonprofits to make our state more sustainable — both from an economic and environmental perspective.”

Under her leadership, the organization relaunched its Land and Water Action Platform, which helps fund conservation projects across the state. In 2025, the initiative supported the protection of more than 13,000 acres of land and water in South Carolina.

She noted that the work she does at Sustain S.C. shares similarities with what she plans to do on city council.

“My day job is to bring together diverse coalitions and build bridges to find solutions to help protect our economy and environment. City council is similar — I am going there to be a team player — to work hard for District 12, find solutions and build the coalitions needed to deliver results.”

But she said she hopes her campaign — and now her new role — showed that civic involvement isn’t out of reach for anyone.

Leslie Skardon, of James Island, with her family

Ashley Stanol

Feature 01.09.2026

Connected to community

“

This is about fixing potholes, making sidewalks, making our intersections safer, fixing flooding and ditches. But it’s the most fundamental building block of our community.” —Leslie Skardon

Persistence, dedication

That kind of persistence is something her father-in-law, longtime Charleston nonprofit leader Steve Skardon, said has defined her campaign from the start.

“She’s not kidding — she knocked on thousands of doors,” he said. “She’s a great listener, and people would walk away saying, ‘She’s fantastic. I love her.’ All she did was listen to what they had to say. For me, that’s what politics should be — when citizens feel connected to their leaders.”

That dedication — the long hours, the door-knocking, the conversations — all led to election night, when Skardon’s focus on neighborhood-level service resonated with voters.

Even with a busy schedule and new responsibilities, she said she hasn’t lost sight of what motivates her most.

“Regardless of what happens,” she said, “I’ll always find ways to continue to be involved in our community and make a difference. This approach reflects her focus on the work ahead. “We care about our community. We want to improve it.”

Polkey gets moving

Charleston pizza king Ben D’Allesandro has walked the streets of downtown Charleston long enough to know the city inside and out — literally. From his college days to today, he says strolling through Charleston is his favorite way to take in the city’s charm.

“By far, my favorite activity in downtown Charleston is walking. From the moment I moved here in college, I found that I really enjoyed experiencing the city by foot,” he said.

That connection to the city carried over into his work as a business owner.

D’Allesandro started with a single neighborhood pizza shop and has expanded.

Running businesses in Charleston has taught the Rutledge Avenue homeowner firsthand how city government impacts daily life.

“The challenge moving forward is finding the right balance — supporting a strong hospitality economy while ensuring Charleston remains a livable city for the people who work here and call it home,” he said in a recent interview.

Now, he’s bringing that same hands-on perspective to Charleston City Council, where he was recently elected to represent District 6 on the peninsula. He said he wants to focus on strengthening neighborhoods, supporting the people who make the city run and ensuring that growth benefits residents and visitors alike.

“The people who make the city run don’t get nearly enough attention,” he says. “I handle that by leading with respect — listening, being accessible, and treating everyone as a partner in serving the city.

When you value people, the work gets better for everyone.”

Understanding how day-to-day city operations affect residents and businesses, he also emphasizes that getting involved doesn’t have to be intimidating.

“If it feels too big, start small — go to a meeting, email a representative, or help out with a neighborhood association. Local government runs on people stepping up.”

Balancing multiple businesses and a new role in city government might sound impossible to most — but for D’Allesandro, multi-tasking is a skill he’s literally practiced since childhood.

“A lot of people don’t know this, but I’m actually a juggler — a skill I learned from my dad. I picked it up years ago, and it turns out to be good training for running a restaurant — and now serving on city council — where you’re constantly keeping multiple things in the air at once.” —Katarina Kunkle

Before most of the peninsula is fully awake, incoming Charleston City Council member Aaron Polkey is already moving through it.

Whether training at KOR4, running with The Outsiders, a Charleston-based workout group, or jogging familiar routes like the Battery, Hampton Park and the Cooper River Bridge, the Charleston native starts his days immersed in the city.

“Charleston has an amazing and vibrant physical fitness community and is a beautiful place to train outdoors,” he said.

That day-to-day connection carries into his professional life. As president and CEO of Palmetto Project, Polkey leads a statewide nonprofit, including South Carolina’s only nonprofit health insurance agency.

In addition to managing operations, he is focused on what comes next.

“I’m leading the charge toward our next big idea to improve social and economic outcomes for all South Carolinians,” he said.

Through his work and the campaign for city council, Polkey has seen how rising costs affect Charleston residents, particularly on the peninsula.

Soon to represent District 4 on Charleston City Council, attainable housing is a central focus of his platform.

“Each day, I see first hand how challenging it is to earn a living and thrive in the increasingly expensive Charleston metro area,” he said.

Polkey said he seeks to ensure residents can live near jobs while enjoying Charleston’s walkable, historic neighborhoods.

“That’s why my top priority is attainable housing on the peninsula.”

He has also highlighted neighborhood-level issues that affect daily life. The closure of the CVS Pharmacy in Kings Plaza, Polkey noted, “was a major blow to the upper peninsula, especially for our seniors who either walk or rely upon accessible parking.” He added he would like to help recruit an independent pharmacy to fill the void.

Throughout his campaign, Polkey emphasized accessibility, often meeting residents at coffee shops, restaurants, bars and parks.

“People should be able to easily access their representatives on convenient and relatable terms,” he said. For those hesitant to engage in local politics, his advice was straightforward: “Just go ahead and get involved in anything that feels right for you.”

While many Charlestonians may know Polkey through nonprofit work and advocacy, fewer are aware of his early start in media. As a teenager, he co-hosted a quarterly teen news program on WCSC called Mean Streets.

“My mom still has the VHS tapes,” he recalled.

“And I’m scared to watch them!” —Katarina Kunkle

more than pizza

Local priorities

Skardon, 35, said she is committed to making local government more approachable and transparent by holding monthly office hours and sending out a monthly newsletter.

“I don’t just listen — I act,” she said. “I’m not just here to listen to your problems. I’m here to fix them.”

Among her top priorities are tackling flooding and improving infrastructure — issues that affect nearly every Charleston resident. She describes flooding as a safety and financial concern.

While the city’s drains and ditches are maintained, Skardon said many still need significant updates.

“We have ditches that were created 40 years ago and have not been updated,” she said, emphasizing that aging infrastructure can contribute to flooding.

She also noted that some projects are already underway but stressed the need for continued funding and attention to ensure the city sees real improvements.

“We have one underway right now, so we need the funding and focus for James Island to make sure we’re seeing those flooding improvements,” Skardon added.

D’Allesandro makes

Provided

Skardon said one of her priorities is a connection to community

early in the day

charlestoncitypaper.com

“A pothole isn’t political,” she said. “We should all be able to work together on these issues.”

11

What To Do

Have an event? Send the details to calendar@charlestoncitypaper.com a week (or more) prior to.

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What To Do 01.09.2026

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Provided

3 4

TUESDAY

Fairy shelves workshop Assemble a unique, miniature wooden bookcase, and transform it into the enchanted shelf of your dreams.

Guided by local artist Melissa Meverden, guests will take the assembly one step at a time, from construction to painting to decorating. All materials will be provided, including the bookcase, moss, tiny bottles, faux books and more. No experience necessary.

Jan. 13. 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. $45/ticket. Park Circle Community Building. 4800 Park Circle. North Charleston. culturalarts.northcharleston.org

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SATURDAY

Tiny Zoo exhibition Don’t miss your chance to explore the relationship between the human experience and the “captivity” of modern society through works by Charleston-based artist Cara Fischer. Her work delves into the emotional presence of the human figure and the interplay between observation and imagination. The exhibition ends this weekend and offers viewers a fun, escapist world that poses a larger question about emotional freedom.

Through Jan. 10. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free. Public Works Art Center. 135 West Richardson Ave. Summerville. publicworksartcenter.org SATURDAY

Mex 1 Rail Jam 2026 The annual Rail Jam is back, bigger and better than ever. Join Mex 1 at Firefly Distillery this weekend for the ultimate winter party, this time with more snow — yes, even more! Expect flips, tricks and high-flying moves as top boarders from across the country take on the custom rail setup, all while you jam to local tunes by local legends Strawberry Squad.

Jan. 10. 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. $35/general admission; $70/VIP access. Firefly Distillery.

4201 Spruill Ave. fireflydistillery.com SUNDAY

LLT oyster roast Join Lowcountry Land Trust for its annual family-friendly oyster roast this weekend. Guests are invited to Gold Bug Island for scenic marsh views, shucking local oysters and socializing with other conservation-minded locals. Tickets include homemade chili, soup, salad, cornbread, dessert, hot drinks, beer, live music and much more.

Jan. 11. 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Gold Bug Island. 1560 Ben Sawyer Blvd. Mount Pleasant. lowcountrylandtrust.org THURSDAY

Secrets of the swamp Experience the beauty of a bottomland hardwood forest with a trained naturalist. Beneath the towering cypress trees, uncover some secrets of the plants and animals that inhabit this uniquely southern ecosystem. Trails will be paved and flat for ease of transportation, and the pace of the adventure is expected to be slow to moderate. Benches are located along the route, as well as accessible restrooms and water fountains.

Jan. 15. 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. $12/ticket. Wannamaker County Park. 8888 University Blvd.

North Charleston. ccprc.com

ART. WILDLIFE. THE SPORTING LIFE. Charleston’s beloved celebration of the outdoors for over 43 years. Tickets on sale now at SEWE.com.

Buy online before February 1 and save.

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FEB . 13 -15 , 2026 C HAR LE S TO N , SC

13

Cuisine

What’s going on in the Charleston cuisine scene? Send us your food tips! food@charlestoncitypaper.com

A la carte

New food, bev trends for 2026

What’s new

Fresh focaccia. Giannone Eatery and Italian Market has opened in Mount Pleasant at 216 Scott St., adjacent to Coastal Crust and Vintage Coffee Cafe.

Open daily, it offers sandwiches and sides, with plans for provisions and wine soon. All sandwiches are served on house-made focaccia and biscuit sandwiches are available on weekends.

More: giannoneeatery.com New THC options. Charleston-based High Rise Beverage Co. is introducing High Rise THC infusion, which is designed for easy at-home cannabis mocktails and alcohol-free nights out. A 5mg THC variety is expected to appear on N/A menus at bars and restaurants, and 5mg and 10mg THC options will be available for at-home imbibing. More: highrisebev.com

By Becky Lacey

Cuisine 01.09.2026

While some things never seem to change in the Lowcountry — great seafood, beautiful rice and killer cocktails — a new year always ushers in new trends in the world of cuisine.

Every December, Kim Severson of The New York Times surveys chefs, restaurant publicists, food executives and market researchers to try to predict what’s in store for the coming year. Based on these conversations, she believes that 2026 will usher in “More Caution, More Crunch.”

“Last year’s anything-goes sensibility has given way to caution,” Severson wrote recently. “Diners crave quality, reliability and small pops of pleasure. Quiet luxury is the catchphrase.”

This means things like nostalgic home cooking (“the kind of warm, grounding foods your best imaginary grandma might have made, like sourdough bread, dried apples, sauerkraut and vegetables she canned herself”) as well as foods with strong textures, backyard gardens and great value when dining.

And Severson’s prediction for the ingredient of 2026: vinegar.

Closer to home, some of Charleston’s top food and beverage professionals reviewed what they foresee on the horizon when it comes to eating and drinking in 2026.

Here’s what to expect this year in the Holy City:

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Quality. “I think guests are paying closer attention to the quality behind what they’re eating. They want to know where the food comes from, and when they see Keegan-Filion pork or produce grown just Bolchoz down the road, that signals real value. If you’re spending on a meal, you want to taste the reason why.”

—Mark Bolchoz, chef and owner, Cane Pazzo More plants. “Our bread and butter is taking classics and making them better

What’s happening

Andrew Cebulka

Beautiful South’s Shanghai-style shumai is a vegan-friendly mix of shitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots and sticky rice with quality ingredients, while also creating plant-based versions that feel just as exciting. We see both of those continuing to grow into 2026. On the beverage side, we are seeing more herbal and medicinal flavors showing up in

cocktails, like mastiha (an aromatic resin from the mastic tree with a pinelike taste) used in moderation to add something interesting without CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

Author dinner. Indaco is hosting an 6 p.m. Jan. 12 event with James Beard Award winner Kevin Boehm, co-CEO and co-founder of the Boka Restaurant Group. The multi-course, family-style dinner from Indaco Executive Chef Tito Marino includes hand-made pastas, wood-fired pizzas and Italian-inspired seasonal dishes, with wine pairings (spirit-free options available). Cost: $150 per person; ticket includes tax, gratuity and a signed copy of Boehm’s book, The Bottomless Cup. More: opentable.com Restaurant deals. Charleston Restaurant Week runs through Jan. 18 and offers great deals throughout the area. Multi-course menus are available during both lunch and dinner and offer a great way to sample new restaurants. More: restaurantweeksouthcarolina.com Alcohol-free options. Commonhouse Aleworks puts a spin throughout January on the alcohol-free movement with “CAVU-ary,” a month-long celebration highlighting the brewery’s non-alcoholic options, including Delta-9 THC beverages, soda, kombucha and cold brew. As a part of this, the brewery is partnering with CAVU, a Delta-9 THC beverage company, to feature its new 10mg Margarita, its highestmilligram drink to date, available in the Commonhouse Aleworks Tap Room.

More: commonhousealeworks.com —Becky Lacey

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Future Scholar, South Carolina’s 529 College Savings Plan, makes it Trends

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

overpowering.” —Tina Schuttenberg, creative director and owner, Always Awkward Hospitality Ingredients. “In 2026, I think restaurants

easy toCarolina’s start saving your child’s education.

In just simple Future Scholar, South 529for College Savings Plan, makes it a few need to be not only guest-focused, but steps, you can start investing in child’s future.it ingredient focused. Highlighting ingredieasy toScholar, start saving forCarolina’s your child’s education.

Inityour just aPlan, few simple Future South 529 College Savings makes olar, South Carolina’s 529 College Savings Plan, makes ents instead of piling ingredients on a plate, can start investing in your child’s future. easy toyou start saving for yourIn child’s In just a few simple rt savingsteps, for your child’s education. just aeducation. few simple I think is the way to go. And while we’re you can startchild’s investing in your child’s future. focusing on ingredients that also allows us can startsteps, investing in your future.

South Carolina Start with Add to it when Treasurer any amount you can South Carolina Start with Add to it when South Carolina Curtis Loftis Treasurer Treasurer any amount Start with Addyou to itcan when Add to it when Curtis Loftis Curtis Loftis Enjoy tax-free benefits any amount you can t you can along the way Enjoy tax-free benefits along the way Enjoy tax-free benefits joy tax-free benefits Contributions deductible on South Carolina State Income Taxes. along the way along the way

South to makeCarolina the guest an ingredient. We make Treasurer sure that their time spent with us is memoCurtis Loftis Bond, executive chef, rable.”

—Cheyenne Delaney Oyster House

Cuisine 01.09.2026

Nostalgia. “Nationally, I think we’re headed toward more humble, homey dishes that bring nostalgia, especially in an uncerlearn Carolina more about Future Scholar and its investment objectives, risks and costs, read the program description available Contributions deductible onToSouth State Income Taxes. taintax economy. at FutureScholar.com before investing. Check with your or the beneficiary’s home state to learn if it offers or other Here Contributions deductible Southand Carolina State Income Taxes. in Charleston, with benefits for investing in its own 529.

Future Scholar is self-supported anddescription does not receive taxpayer funding.

To learn moreState about Futureon Scholar its investment objectives, risks and costs, read the program available uctible on South Carolina Income Taxes. at FutureScholar.com before investing. Check with your or the beneficiary’s home state to learn if it offers tax or other Michelin now in the To learn more about Future Scholar and itscosts, investment objectives, costs, read thetaxpayer programfunding. description available benefits investing inobjectives, its own 529.

Future Scholar is self-supported andand does not receive t Future Scholar and itsfor investment risks and read the programrisks description available South, I think we’ll Eaton at FutureScholar.com before investing.

Check with your or the beneficiary’s home state to learn if it offers tax or other m before investing. Check with your or the beneficiary’s to learnTOMORROW, if it offers tax or other TODAY AT INVESThome IN state THEIR see a real upswing in benefits for investing in its own 529.

Future Scholar is self-supported and does not receive taxpayer funding. g in its own 529. Future Scholar is self-supported and does not receive taxpayer funding. fine-dining ambition. When those things INVEST IN THEIRFUTURESCHOLAR.COM TOMORROW, TODAY AT overlap, that’s where it gets exciting, dishes INVEST IN THEIR TODAY AT FUTURESCHOLAR.COM THEIR TOMORROW, TODAYTOMORROW, AT like Gullah garlic crab or chicken bog could rise to stardom.”

FUTURESCHOLAR.COM ESCHOLAR.COM —Alex Eaton, culinary director, 16 Félix Cocktails et Cuisine and La Cave

Family-style. “We’re seeing family-style dining gain momentum as we head into 2026. When people pass dishes around the table, the pace slows down and the whole meal becomes more of an experience than an order. In Indian cooking, food has always been meant to be shared. It’s how you connect with the people around you. Our menu is designed with that in mind, with dishes that naturally complement each other and are meant to be enjoyed together. We’re noticing more and more guests coming in specifically looking for that communal experience. Family-style lets us showcase a wider range of our flavors in a single meal and gives diners an easy, welcoming way to explore unfamiliar dishes without feeling overwhelmed.” —Sujith Varghese, owner, Rivayat Creative Indian More mocktails.

“We’re going to see mocktails taken even more seriously. Bars are leaning into premium glassware, thoughtful garnishes and flavors with depth. I expect more bitter and aperitif-style profiles, Knight tea infusions, botanical complexity and that bright, bitter citrus that gives a drink real sophistication.”

—Hailey Knight, beverage director, Félix Cocktails et Cuisine and La Cave

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Culture

For daily updates from Charleston’s art and music world, check out the Culture section online charlestoncitypaper.com

Rodin works head to the Gibbes for 11-month show

By Maura Hogan In a coup for the Gibbes Museum of Art, patrons can expect to cross paths with formidable world-class sculpture displayed throughout the building starting at the end of next month.

From Feb. 27, 2026, through Jan. 17, 2027, a robust collection of 14 works by one of the world’s leading sculptors, Auguste Rodin, will be displayed throughout the Gibbes. They will be settling in for nearly a year so that museumgoers from near and far have a rare chance for protracted interaction with these significant sculptures.

“Rodin is one of the biggest names in all of art history, probably without argument, the most famous sculptor of the 19th century, if not the early 20th century,” said Alex Rich, president and CEO of the museum.

Those who may think they aren’t savvy on the oeuvre of the French sculptor may want to think again. His 1904 bronze sculpture “The Thinker,” or “Le Penseur” in its native tongue, famously situates a nude male on a rock, chin on hand. It is one of the most recognizable works of art in modern times. (The work is so wellknown that there’s even a cartoon of Homer Simpson in the sculpture’s famous pose.)

That brooding behemoth wholly rapt in contemplation is often the gateway work of the artist, whose cast bronze sculptures and busts spanned the late 19th and early 20th centuries in sufficient supply to today populate an entire museum in Paris the artist founded to showcase his work for posterity.

“Everyone knows ‘The Thinker,’ and so once you say ‘The Thinker,’ even if people don’t know Rodin’s name, they go, ‘Oh, I know Rodin,’” Rich said.

Images courtesy Gibbes Museum of Art

Culture 01.09.2026

At the Gibbes

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While “The Thinker” is not among the works coming to the Gibbes, there are associated works. Moreover, visitors will get up close and personal with these works from casts created by Rodin then, forged at various foundries for decades since.

All are emblematic of Rodin’s signature, groundbreaking style — that uncanny ability to breathe life, with all its flaws and awe, into molten, molded bronze in a fashion that was at once visceral in its humanity and formidable in the sheer heft and presence.

These include a towering sculpture of a life-sized, paint palettetoting depiction of artist Claude Lorrain, coming in just shy of 7 feet, and the similarly large-scale, five-foot-plus-feet “Meditation (With Arms).” Patrons will also find a maquette of the latter work, which was commissioned in 1880 for the entrance to a decorative arts museum in Paris that reimagines a scene of Dante’s Inferno, but was never realized.

Busts abound, too — including one of Rodin, another of Eustache De Saint Pierre, one of the celebrated six self-sacrificing subjects collectively called The Burghers of Calais, and another still of fellow burgher Jean D’Aire. There are twisting torsos, supplicant Three Shades grouping a trio of figures, heads bent and hands grasped, as well as a gesturing, preaching Jean the Baptist.

The exhibition will be the first under the leadership of Alex Rich (above), the Gibbes’ new president The “Bust of Jean Baptiste” (top, left) and “Saint John the Baptist Preaching” (top, right) are among Rodin’s works visitors will be able museum

The Gibbes exhibition further unleashes artistic star power at the museum, which Rich views as a top cultural destination in the Southeast befitting of top talents.

It opens the heels of a similarly heady show, Rembrandt: Masterpieces in Black and White — Prints from the Rembrandt House Museum, the touring exhibition that launched at Gibbes in fall of 2025 and culminates Jan. 11.

Rich, who grew up in New York mere blocks from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and eventually interned there, has long felt the power of Rodin — and has also witEmily Plank nessed the power of his presence in regional Programmatic coup cultural hubs.

The exhibition could be considered the first “For me just personally as a child of programmatic shot across the cultural bow New York City, I know what it’s like to for Rich, who landed the leadership spot walk through the halls of the Metropolitan after the 2025 retirement of longtime head Museum of Art and see Rodins,” he said.

Angela Mack.

He then experienced the impact of the It also represents a continuation of a relaRodin exhibition at the Polk Museum of tionship that Rich cultivated with the leaders Art, which garnered the highest attendance of the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation, in the museum’s history. the philanthropic organization focused on “To have people walk in and see Rodins both medicine and the arts that has a signifi- would be not only breathtaking but also a cant focus on the works of Rodin. game changer for the scope of what people Rich previously worked with the founbelieve the museum can and will be about,” dation on the touring exhibition Rodin: he said.

Contemplations and Dreams, which landed at the Polk Museum of Art at Florida IF YOU WANT TO GO: The exhibition will be Southern College, where he was curator. on display as part of the museum’s regular That exhibition also visited South Carolina entrance fee, which is $10 to $14 for adults. in 2023 at Brookgreen Gardens.

135 Meeting St.

Arts+Music See a world premiere Jan. 11 by Grand Kyiv Ballet Grand Kyiv Ballet, a touring company of Ukrainian ballet dancers, lands at Charleston Music Hall at 4 p.m.

Jan. 11 for the world premiere of The Snow Queen, a new interpretation of the classic fairy tale by way of renowned choreographers Alexander Abdukarimov and Arshak Galumyan.

Charleston Music Hall, 37 John St. More: charlestonmusichall.com

Acoustic “newgrass” trio Reedy River String Band will play the Charleston Pour House Jan. 17

Reedy River String Band brings back its unique newgrass sound Jan. 17

By Vincent Harris The Reedy River String Band has its roots in Greenville, but the acoustic “newgrass” trio has found a second home in Charleston.

The band’s Jan. 17 show at the Pour House is its second in less than a year and its sixth overall.

“We love playing the Pour House,” said band member Sterling Waite. “We’ve played on the deck stage and have done well bringing folks out there to listen to us, and then we’ve also had the pleasure of playing on the indoor stage, opening for some bands that I’m a big fan of, like the West Coast String Band.”

Waite, who sings lead and plays mandolin and fiddle in the band, told the Charleston City Paper that he and his bandmates, guitarist Rush Morgan and upright bassist Mark Dye, have been thrilled by how Charleston, and the Pour House specifically, have embraced the group.

“The shows have generally done very well there,” Waite added, “and we’ve been pleasantly surprised by the reception in Charleston.”

At this point, perhaps Waite shouldn’t be so surprised anymore when the Reedy River String Band goes over well. Since the band first formed in 2022, its mix of daredevil acoustic exploration, pure bluegrass vocal harmonies and cheeky humor has caught on.

The band started drawing hundreds of people to its show in the Upstate almost immediately, and it appeared on the main stage of the massive Fall for Greenville festival in 2024. Before the recording of its first full-length album, Woodland Drifters, the band was popular enough to have toured Europe twice.

“

What we’re doing is outside of the box enough to draw in people who aren’t hardcore traditional fans. They don’t use the term ‘rock energy,’ but I think that’s what they’re getting at when they’re all pumped up after a show.” —Sterling Waite

“That certainly was the goal, to move in that direction,” Waite said of the band’s popularity. “But I’ve been very grateful for the progress that we’ve made so quickly.

The band is only four years old as of October 2025, so it’s moved the needle a lot in a short amount of time.”

If you listen to the band play, however, it’s not difficult to figure out why it has attracted such a devoted fanbase.

Waite’s lyrics alternate between charming and charmingly hilarious. For example, one of his “love songs” includes the request, “Can I put my car up on blocks in your yard?”

Morgan is a dazzling talent on acoustic guitar, and Dye’s decades of experience on upright bass make him a rock-solid foundation for some lightning-fast solos. Throw in an entertaining and hypnotic cover version of Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb,” and

that’s a pretty enjoyable combo.

“A lot of times, people will come up to us and say, ‘I really like it, and I normally don’t like bluegrass,’ ” Waite said. “So, what that tells me is that what we’re doing is outside of the box enough to draw in people who aren’t hardcore traditional fans. They don’t use the term ‘rock energy,’ but I think that’s what they’re getting at when they’re all pumped up after a show.”

The three members of the band have solo projects and side-groups with which they work, and it’s interesting to hear those projects and then listen to the Reedy River String Band. Dye spent years in the progrock jam-band The Work. Morgan’s music leans towards rustic folk. And The Sterling Waite Band is a danceable mix of funky covers and originals.

Waite said those ingredients add up to something unique when the musicians return to this band.

“We’ve got Mark’s experience in The Work, which did jam band stuff,” Waite said. “And then my rock and funky stuff. And we definitely pull from those genres and influences.

Mark, especially, was a big influence in coming up with these complex arrangements and crazy sections where we’re free to improvise and then figure out how we’re going to get back to the main part of the song.”

Regardless of the formula for the Reedy River String Band’s music, the result has been a surprising success.

“We’ve been humbled and so encouraged by all the support,” Waite said. “It has far exceeded any expectations I had.”

IF YOU WANT TO GO: Doors open at 8 p.m., Jan. 17, Pour House, 1977 Maybank Highway., Charleston. Tickets range from $12-$15.

FILM

• Jan. 8, 5 p.m.: Dante Alighieri Society of Charleston presents the Italian classic Divorce Italian Style starring Marcello Mastroianni. Queen Street Playhouse, 20 Queen St. More: dantecharleston.org.

PURE Theatre

THEATER

• Jan. 15 to Feb. 7, various times: PURE Theatre presents McNeal, a new work

by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Ayad Akhtar. Cannon Street Arts Center, 134 Cannon St. More: puretheatre.org.

MUSIC

• Jan 10, 4 p.m.: Solid Country Gold and Friends, Pour House • Jan. 10, 7 p.m.: Muscadine Bloodline, Charleston Music Hall • Jan. 10, 9 p.m.: Parris Byars Club, Royal American • Jan. 11, 6:30 p.m.: Stone River Project, with Maraluso and Fiori, Pour House • Jan. 14, 6:30 p.m: Barry Manilow, North Charleston PAC • Jan. 15, 7:30 p.m.: The Inhibitors, Arrive Alive + Inyato, Tin Roof • Jan. 16, 9 p.m.: She Returns From War, Royal American • Jan. 16-17, 7:30 p.m.: Yonder Mountain String Band, Pour House • Jan. 17, 9 p.m.: Slim S.O.U.L., Royal American

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Brian Ashley Jones

19

Pets Real Estate Services

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All persons having claims against the following estates are required to deliver or mail their claims to the Personal Representative indicated below and also file subject claims on Form #371ES with Irvin G. Condon, Probate Judge of Charleston County, 84 Broad Street, Charleston, S.C. 29401, before the expiration of 8 months after the date of the first publication of this Notice to Creditors or one year from the date of death, whichever date is earlier, or else thereafter such claims shall be and are forever barred.

Estate of: JOHN CANTEY NYE, JR. 2025-ES-10-2068 DOD: 9/24/25 Pers. Rep: DONALD TRAVIS NYE 2235 LAKE MURRAY BLVD., #2106, COLUMBIA, SC 29212 Atty: KIMBERLY A. RABER, ESQ. 1920 BARNWELL ST., COLUMBIA, SC 29201

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Notices ADVERTISE YOUR AUCTION

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Plumbing

SELL ANYTHING FOR $35 IN PRINT AND ONLINE CALL CRIS 577-5304 X127

ESTATES’ CREDITOR’S NOTICES

2 FREE WATER ALARMS

Hello Friends!

My name is Chris Devlin, owner/ operator of Avery & Sons Plumbing + Tankless.

In an effort to connect with new clients and build community goodwill, one of my awesome team members will come by to deliver and place 2 water alarms in your home absolutely FREE of charge, no bait and switch, no upsell. In my professional opinion, your attic water heater and dishwasher are the most likely areas where a leak can catch you off guard. Call or text us today to reserve a spot. We have 200 to give away, and is for DECEMBER ONLY. New and existing customers welcome. (843) 305-5555 Averyandsonsnc@gmail.com

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All persons having claims against the following estates are required to deliver or mail their claims to the Personal Representative indicated below and also file subject claims on Form #371ES with Irvin G. Condon, Probate Judge of Charleston County, 84 Broad Street, Charleston, S.C. 29401, before the expiration of 8 months after the date of the first publication of this Notice to Creditors or one year from the date of death, whichever date is earlier, or else thereafter such claims shall be and are forever barred.

Estate of: HUGH ANSEL HAYES, JR. 2025-ES-10-2015 DOD: 8/27/25 Pers. Rep: HOSEA ANDREW HAYES 1070 HWY. 56, SPARTANBURG, SC 29302 Atty: KENNETH W. NETTLES, JR., ESQ. 101 W. SAINT JOHN ST., #308, SPARTANBURG, SC 29302 *********** Estate of: MARK ANDREW EISERMAN 2025-ES-10-2046 DOD: 11/23/25 Pers. Rep: ADAM JAMES EISERMAN 2151 STONEWOOD DR., CHARLESTON, SC 29412 Atty: NICHOLAS B. URICCHIO, ESQ. 147 WAPPOO CREEK DR., #202, CHARLESTON, SC 29412 *********** Estate of: ALICE ELIZABETH VEYERA 2025-ES-10-2088 DOD: 11/3/25

Pers.

Rep: J. STEPHEN VEYERA 311 LEATHERBACK LN., JOHNS ISLAND, SC 29455 *********** Estate of: JUDITH K. BENNETT 2025-ES-10-2118 DOD: 11/22/25 Pers. Rep: BERTHA SMALLS-MIDDLETON 1715 ETHERIDGE RD., WADMALAW ISLAND, SC 29487 Atty: MELINDA L. KELLEY, ESQ. 4000 FABER PLACE DR., #450, CHARLESTON, SC 29405 *********** Estate of: HUGH G. HORTON, III 2025-ES-10-2131 DOD: 11/23/25 Pers. Rep: TERESA FARMER HORTON 711 HARBORVIEW RD., CHARLESTON, SC 29412 *********** Estate of: JOHN SYLVESTER SINGLETON 2025-ES-10-2135 DOD: 9/27/25 Pers. Rep: JEROME SINGLETON 3007 LOXLEY LN., LADSON, SC 29456 Atty: ANDREW D. GOWDOWN, ESQ. 40 CALHOUN ST., #450, CHARLESTON, SC 29401

ESTATES’ CREDITOR’S NOTICES All persons having claims against the following estates are required to deliver or mail their claims to the Personal Representative indicated below and also file subject claims on Form #371ES with Irvin G. Condon, Probate Judge of Charleston County, 84 Broad Street, Charleston, S.C. 29401, before the expiration of 8 months after the date of the first publication of this Notice to Creditors or one year from the date of death, whichever date is earlier, or else thereafter such claims shall be and are forever barred.

Estate of: JOSHUA WEBER KUCERA 2025-ES-10-1797 DOD: 2/10/25 Pers. Rep: KATHRYN TORBERT KUCERA 1025 RIVERLAND WOODS PL., #503, CHARLESTON, SC 29412 *********** Estate of: JOHN THOMAS KOPECK 2025-ES-10-2140 DOD: 11/16/25 Pers. Rep: CHRISTOPHER JOHN KOPECK 2294 KEMMERLIN ST., JOHNS ISLAND, SC 29455 *********** Estate of: LINDA SUE WEEKS 2025-ES-10-2157 DOD: 12/4/25 Pers. Rep: LORI LEI REYNOLDS 108 KEATON BROOK DR., SUMMERVILLE, SC 29485

Notice of Self Storage Sale Please take notice Extra Room Self Storage - North Charleston located at 8911 University Blvd. North Charleston SC 29406 intends to hold an Auction of storage units in default of payment. The sale will occur as an online auction via www.storagetreasures.com on 1/20/26 at 10:00 AM. This sale is pursuant to the assertion of lien for rental at the self-storage facility. Unless stated otherwise the description of the contents are household goods, furnishings and garage essentials.

Cleveland Roshaun Jr Middleton.

This sale may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Certain terms and conditions apply.

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CHARLESTON IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF THE NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT CASE NO.: 2023-CP-10-04916

12.5%) by Master’s Deed, dated November 3, 2003, and recorded in the Register’s Office for Charleston County, South Carolina on November 10, 2003, in Book X-474, Page 340.TMS#: 583-00-00-132

CLYDE PALMER, Plaintiff, vs.

DEBRA HARRIS, EDWARD HARRIS, ERIC HARRIS, LAURA HARRIS, LILLIETTE HARRIS, JEROME SIMMONS, THERESA McMILLAN a/k/a Theresa S. McMillan, JEAN ARNAO, if they be alive, JOHN DOE AND JANE DOE, infants, insane persons, incompetents and persons in the military service of The United States of America, being fictitious names designating as a class any unknown person or persons or legal entity of any kind, who may be an heir, distributee, devisee, legatee, widower, widow, assign, administrator, executor, creditor, successor, personal representative, issue or alienee of JAMES GRANT, JOAN GLORIA HARRIS, LILLIAN GRANT, deceased, and DEBRA HARRIS, EDWARD HARRIS, ERIC HARRIS, LAURA HARRIS, JEROME SIMMONS, THERESA McMILLAN, aka Theresa S. McMillan, JEAN ARNAO, if they or any of them be deceased, and any and all other persons or legal entities, known and unknown, claiming any right, title, interest or estate in or lien upon the real estate described in the Amended Complaint filed herein, Defendants.

NOTICE TO APPOINT A GUARDIAN AD LITEM NISI

AMENDED SUMMONS YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to answer the Amended Complaint in this action, a copy of which is herewith served upon you, and to serve a copy of your Answer upon John J. Dodds III at his office located at 858 Lowcountry Blvd., Suite 101, Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, 29464, within thirty (30) days after service hereof, exclusive of the date of such service; and if you fail to answer the Amended Complaint within the time aforesaid, judgment by default will be rendered against you for the relief demanded in the Amended Complaint.

NOTICE OF FILING YOU WILL PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Amended Summons, Amended Complaint, Amended Certificate of Exemption, Amended Lis Pendens and Amended Notice were filed in the Office of the Clerk of Court for Charleston County on August 12, 2025.

You will please take notice that by Consent Order filed in the Clerk’s Office on December 30, 2025, Walter R. Kaufmann, Esquire, PO Box 459, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29465-0459, was appointed Guardian ad Litem Nisi to represent John Doe, adults, and Jane Doe, infants, insane persons, incompetents and persons in the Military Service of the United States of America, being fictitious names designating as a class any unknown persons or legal entities of any kind, who may be an heir, distributee, devisee, legatee, widower, widow, assign, administrator, executor, creditor, successor, personal representative, issue or alienee of James Grant, Joan Gloria Harris, Lillian Grant, all deceased, and Edward Harris, Eric Harris, Laura Harris, Lilliette Harris and Jerome Simmons, if all of them or any of them be deceased, and any and all other persons or legal entities, known and unknown, claiming any right, title, interest or estate in or lien upon the real estate described in the Amended Lis Pendens and Amended Complaint filed herein; such appointment to become absolute unless the said Defendants or someone on their behalf shall procure the appointment of a Guardian ad Litem on or before the thirtieth (30) day after the last publication of the Amended Summons herein.

John J. Dodds, III 858 Lowcountry Blvd., Suite 101 Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 (P) (843) 881-6530 john@cisadodds.com ATTORNEYS FOR PLAINTIFF

POST YOUR LEGALS HERE!

AMENDED LIS PENDENS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an action has been commenced by the Plaintiff against the Defendants to establish ownership of the following described real property, together with improvements, located in the County of Charleston, State of South Carolina, in the name of Plaintiff upon the ground of adverse possession free of any and all claims of Defendants: ALL that certain piece, parcel or lot of land situate, lying and being in Phillips Section, Christ Church Parish, Charleston County, South Carolina and shown and designated as Tract 3, 0.68 acres, on that certain Plat by Forest G. Calvert, REG. L.S. 4175, entitled “Property In The Estate of Thomas Grant Located in Phillips Section, Christ Church Parish, In Charleston County, S.C.”, dated February 27, 1976, and recorded in the Register’s Office for Charleston County, South Carolina on April 13, 1977, in Book AH, Page 85. Said lot having such size, shape, metes and bounds as will by reference to said Plat more fully appear.

BEING a portion of the same property conveyed to James Grant (undivided 25%), Joan Gloria Harris (undivided 25%), Lillian Grant (undivided 25%), Jerome Simmons (undivided 12.5%) and Theresa McMillan (undivided

CALL KRISTIN 843-885 4086

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CHARLESTON IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS DOCKET NO. 2025CP1006447 U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, not in its individual capacity but solely as trustee for COLT 2024-INV2 Mortgage Loan Trust, Plaintiff, v.

Charleston Development Group, LLC; Garrett D. Bean; The Bernson Group, LLC; Seventh Inning, LLC Defendant(s).

(011847-05435) SUMMONS Deficiency Judgment Waived TO THE DEFENDANT(S), Charleston Development Group, LLC and Garrett D. Bean: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to appear and defend by answering the Complaint in this foreclosure action on property located at 27 Allway St, Charleston, SC 29403, being designated in the County tax records as TMS# 4601101081, of which a copy is herewith served upon you, and to serve a copy of your Answer on the subscribers at their offices, 1221 Main Street, 14th Floor, Post Office Box 100200, Columbia, South Carolina, 29202-3200, within thirty (30) days after the service hereof, exclusive of the day of such service; except that the United States of America, if named, shall have sixty (60) days to answer after the service hereof, exclusive of the day of such service; and if you fail to do so, judgment by default will be rendered against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint.

TO MINOR(S) OVER FOURTEEN YEARS OF AGE AND/OR MINOR(S) UNDER FOURTEEN YEARS OF AGE AND THE PERSON WITH WHOM THE MINOR(S) RESIDES AND/OR TO PERSONS UNDER SOME LEGAL DISABILITY: YOU ARE FURTHER SUMMONED AND NOTIFIED to apply for the appointment of a Guardian Ad Litem to represent said minor(s) within thirty (30) days after the service of this Summons upon you. If you fail to do so, application for such appointment will be made by the Plaintiff(s) herein.

NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANTS ABOVE NAMED:

Notice of Self Storage Sale

YOU WILL PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Summons and Complaint, of which the foregoing is a copy of the Summons, were filed with the Clerk of Court for Charleston County, South Carolina on November 18, 2025. s/ Brian P. Yoho

Please take notice Extra Room Self Storage - Moncks Corner located at 1505 Cypress Gardens Road Moncks Corner SC 29461 intends to hold an Auction of storage units in default of payment. The sale will occur as an Online Auction via www.storagetreasures.com on 01/20/2026 at 10:00AM. This sale is pursuant to the assertion of lien for rental at the self-storage facility. Unless stated otherwise the description of the contents are household goods, furnishings and garage essentials.

Rogers Townsend, LLC ATTORNEYS FOR PLAINTIFF John J. Hearn (SC Bar # 6635), John.Hearn@rogerstownsend.com Brian P. Yoho (SC Bar #73516), Brian.Yoho@rogerstownsend.com Jeriel A. Thomas (SC Bar #101400) Jeriel.Thomas@rogerstownsend. com R. Brooks Wright (SC Bar #105195) Brooks.Wright@rogerstownsend. com

Sharon Grant (2 Units); Xavier Thomas; Peyton Smith.

1221 Main Street, 14th Floor Post Office Box 100200 (29202) Columbia, SC 29201 (803) 744-4444

This sale may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Certain terms and conditions apply.

Columbia, South Carolina

charlestoncitypaper.com

ESTATES’ CREDITOR’S NOTICES

21

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CHARLESTON IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS C/A No.: 2025-CP-10-05869

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Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC, Plaintiff, vs Christopher G. Parham; The United States of America, acting by and through its agent, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; and Dovefield Condominiums Homeowner’s Association, Inc., Defendant(s).

SUMMONS AND NOTICES (Non-Jury) FORECLOSURE OF REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE TO THE DEFENDANT(S) ABOVE NAMED:

SUMMONS AND NOTICE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CHARLESTON IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS C/A NO. 2025-CP-10-06574 Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance, Inc., Plaintiff vs.

The Personal Representatives, if any, whose names are unknown, of the Estates of Beaulah M. Gibson and Sammie Gibson aka Sammie Lee Gibson; Carolyn Washington; Jillesa Washington; and Unknown Occupant(s), Defendants.

TO THE DEFENDANT(S): The Personal Representatives, if any, whose names are unknown, of the Estates of Beaulah M. Gibson and Sammie Gibson aka Sammie Lee Gibson; YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to answer the Complaint in the above action, a copy of which is herewith served upon you, and to serve a copy of your Answer upon the undersigned at his office, 2838 Devine Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29205, within thirty (30) days after service upon you, exclusive of the day of such service, and, if you fail to answer the Complaint within the time aforesaid, judgment by default will be rendered against you for relief demanded in the Complaint.

NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the original Complaint in this action was filed in the office of the Clerk of Court for Charleston County on November 25, 2025.

Classifieds 01.09.2026

NOTICE OF PENDENCY OF ACTION

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NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT an action has been commenced and is now pending in the Circuit Court upon the complaint of the above named Plaintiff against the above Defendant(s) for the purpose of claiming and repossessing collateral, which secures the repayment of a certain Contract bearing date of February 16, 2009 and given and delivered by Defendant(s) Beaulah M. Gibson; Sammie Gibson; and Carolyn Washington to Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance, Inc. in the original principal sum of Seventy Nine Thousand Eight Hundred Eighty Eight and 00/100 Dollars ($79,888.00). Said collateral is described as a 2009 CLAY VIN: WHC017354GAAB mobile home and is located in the County of Charleston, South Carolina.

RILEY POPE & LANEY, LLC 2838 Devine Street Columbia, SC 29205 (803) 799-9993 Attorneys for Plaintiff 7500

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to appear and defend by answering the Complaint in this action, a copy of which is hereby served upon you, and to serve a copy of your Answer on the subscribers at their offices at 339 Heyward Street, 2nd Floor, Columbia, SC 29201, within thirty (30) days after the service hereof, exclusive of the day of such service; except that the United States of America, if named, shall have sixty (60) days to answer after the service hereof, exclusive of the day of such service; and if you fail to do so, judgment by default will be rendered against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint.

YOU WILL ALSO TAKE NOTICE that Plaintiff will move for an Order of Reference or the Court may issue a general Order of Reference of this action to a Master-inEquity/Special Referee, pursuant to Rule 53 of the South Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure.

TO MINOR(S) OVER FOURTEEN YEARS OF AGE, AND/OR TO MINOR(S) UNDER FOURTEEN YEARS OF AGE AND THE PERSON WITH WHOM THE MINOR(S) RESIDES, AND/OR TO PERSONS UNDER SOME LEGAL DISABILITY: YOU ARE FURTHER SUMMONED AND NOTIFIED to apply for the appointment of a guardian ad litem within thirty (30) days after the service of this Summons and Notice upon you. If you fail to do so, application for such appointment will be made by Attorney for the Plaintiff.

NOTICE OF FILING OF COMPLAINT TO THE DEFENDANTS ABOVE NAMED: YOU WILL PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the original Complaint, Lis Pendens, and Certificate of Exemption from ADR in the above entitled action was filed in the Office of the Clerk of Court for Charleston County on October 20, 2025.

J. Martin Page, Esq. (SC Bar: 100200) Morgan Ames, Esq. (SC Bar: 106058) Bell Carrington Price & Gregg, LLC 339 Heyward Street, 2nd Floor Columbia, SC 29201 Phone (803) 509-5078 BCP No.: 25-45364 7519

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CHARLESTON IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS FOR THE NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT CASE NO.: 2025-CP-10-06685 Elnore J. Montgomery Plaintiff, v.

Robert Allen Peterson, Marlene Collins, Myron Sims and Shannon Sims and John Doe and Richard Roe, as Representatives of all heirs and devisees Robert L. Peterson, Elsie S. Peterson and Shirley Sims a/k/a Theodosia Shirley Sims, deceased, and all persons entitled to claim under or through them; also, all other persons, corporations or entities unknown claiming any right, title interest in or lien upon the subject real estate described herein, any unknown adults, whose true names are unknown, being a class designated as John Doe, and any unknown infants, persons under disability, or person in the Military Service of the United States of America whose true names are unknown, being a class designated as Richard Roe. Defendants.

SUMMONS FOR PUBLICATION YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to answer the Complaint in the Action, a copy of which is herewith served upon you and to serve a copy of your answer to the said Complaint on the Plaintiff, through her Attorney, J. Chris Lanning, at his office, 12 Carriage Lane, Suite A, Charleston, South Carolina 29407, within thirty (30) days after the service hereof exclusive of the day of such Service; and, if you fail to answer the Compliant within the time aforesaid, the Plaintiff in the Action will apply to the Court for the relief demanded in the Complaint.

YOU WILL PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that should you fail to answer the foregoing Summons, the Plaintiff will move for a general Order of Reference of this cause to the Master-in-Equity/Special Referee for the aforesaid County which Order shall, pursuant to Rule 53, South Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure, specifically provide that the said Master-in-Equity/ Special Referee is authorized and empowered to enter final judgment in this case. An appeal from the final judgment entered by the Master-in-Equity/Special Referee shall be made directly to the Supreme Court.

YOU WILL PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Summons, Lis Pendens and Complaint in the above entitled action were filed in the Office of the Clerk of Court for Charleston County on December

LIS PENDENS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an action has been commenced and is pending in this Court upon Complaint of the above-named Plaintiff against the above-named Defendants, that said Action is brought under the provisions of South Carolina’s Clementa C. Pinckney Uniform Partition of Heirs’ Property Act, Sections 15-61-10, et seq., Code of Laws of South Carolina, for partition of the said property.

That said property affected by said Complaint in this Action hereby commenced was, at the time of the commencement of this Action, and at the time of the filing of this Notice is described as follows: All that piece, parcel, or tract of land, with the buildings thereon, situate, lying, and being on First Avenue in the village of Maryville, St. Andrews Parish, Charleston County, State of South Carolina, known as Lot Nos 19 and 20.

MEASURING AND CONTAINING in front on First Avenue One Hundred (100’) feet and in depth one hundred (100’) feet, more or less TMS # 418-09-00-124 Address: 1119 Armstrong Avenue, Charleston, SC GUARDIAN AD LITEM NISI PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that Conrad Falkiewicz, Esquire, P.O. Box 30266 Charleston, South Carolina, 29417,

by Order of this Court Common Pleas dated January 5, 2026 and filed in the Office of the Clerk of Court for Charleston County, South Carolina has been appointed Guardian ad Litem Nisi for such of the Defendants herein as may be unknown infants, persons insane, or otherwise incompetent or under legal disability, claiming any right, title, estate claim, interest in, or lien upon the property described in the Complaint herein, such appointment to become absolute unless they or someone on their behalf shall procure an Order appointing a Guardian ad Litem for such persons within (30) days after past publications of the Summons herein.

BRUSH LAW FIRM, P.A. s/ J. Chris Lanning J. Chris Lanning 12-A Carriage Lane Charleston, SC 29407 Phone – 843-766-5576

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an early type of photography. The images were so detailed that you could count the threads in a subject’s clothing. The only downside: They required minutes of perfect stillness to capture. A slight twitch or squirm could blur the picture. People held their breath and resisted the urge to fidget, hoping to preserve the magic moment. In this spirit, Libra, let’s make the long exposure your power metaphor during the coming months. The most useful truths will reveal themselves best if you give them time to develop. In conversations, resist filling every silence. In projects, don’t rush the pace. Have patient fun lingering on the threshold as the mysteries coalesce and clarify.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In 1907, Scorpio artist Pablo Picasso painted Les Demoiselles d’Avignon. It was a work so radically different from his earlier art and from the era’s norms that even his friends were stunned. Some called it ugly; others, incomprehensible. Yet the painting became a foundation of Cubism and reshaped modern art.

Dear Scorpio, I suspect you may be on the verge of your own “Les Demoiselles” phase in 2026: unveiling novel approaches and innovative changes so original that they rattle comfortable assumptions.

Don’t be discouraged if the initial responses don’t bring you appreciation. The root-shaking breakthroughs you’re consorting with may take others a while to recognize and welcome.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You Sagittarians are often drawn to teaching. You have a predilection and a passion for sharing what you have learned from your adventures and explorations.

Many of you also possess a related gift: helping people make the journey to where enlightening lessons can best occur. You have a knack for opening their minds and clearing the way so they can awaken to new ways of seeing and imagining the world.

I hope you will provide both of these blessings in abundance during the coming months. Your ability to inspire and educate will be at a peak.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The coming months are ripe for sacred audacity: boldness with a conscience and courage guided by kindness. Imagine you’re a Benevolent Initiator, whose superpower is to kindle beginnings without causing disruption and unease. Practice brilliant, incremental nudges and tweaks rather than grand interventions.

If you’re hesitating to say what needs to be said, deliver a modest version now and a stronger one later. Make gradual momentum your ally. Homework: Identify a future scene you want to generate and take three elegantly simple steps toward it.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Safety isn’t the opposite of adventure. It’s the infrastructure that lets adventure be expansive. Keep that in mind in the coming months, Aquarius. You will be wise to cultivate cozy bravery. You should relax deeply and nurture your strength. Build the support system for your future boldness. Then, in the second half of 2026, you will be well-prepared to launch a phase of experimental fun and exploratory learning. For best results, surround yourself with love and care.

Decide who best supports you and make it attractive for them to support you.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): High in the Andes Mountains, farmers have for centuries made chuño, a freeze-dried potato that can last for years.

They leave the potatoes outside overnight to let the freezing temperatures draw out the water. In the daytime, the strong sunlight and dry mountain air evaporate residual moisture. By this process, a perishable food becomes a long-lasting staple. I propose we make the chuño your symbol of power, Pisces. The coming months will be an ideal time to build reserves. I hope you will turn what you have grown and developed into resources that will nourish you well into the future.

Jonesin’

By Matt Jones

“WELCOME TO ‘26” —with a tribute to my favorite 26!

Across 1. Aardvark’s diet 5. Absorb with a piece of bread 10. Acne spot 13. BÈchamel base, in a French restaurant 14. Compensate (for) 15. Cost increase 16. DEA agent’s find 17. Desmond of “Sunset Boulevard” 18. Emotionally honest 19. First part of a phrase describing a special feature of this puzzle ...

22. Fried rice veggie 23. Furry barker 24. Galaxy hops may go into making one 27. Giant’s N.L. West rival, for short 30. “Hope & Faith” actress (and talk show host) Kelly 33. ... in which I (this is part 2, by the way) ...

35. Japanese temple 37. Kitchenware inventor Tupper 38. Laid-back Brazilian samba offshoot ___ nova 40. Moistureless 41. Nearly used up, like a short pencil 43. ... normally don’t do this, but here you get to see each one of the (part 3) ...

45. “Omnia vincit ___” 46. Popular sans-serif Windows font 47. Questionable, in “Among Us” 48. Robert of HBO’s “Arli$$” 50. Short winter month?

52. ... twenty-six represented! (4th and final part) 59. Utterance from the awestruck 60. Van Pelt sibling in “Peanuts” 61. Wanton sort 62. Xylophone material 63. Yannick Noah’s 2025 Laver Cup opposing captain ___ Agassi 64. Yellow vehicle driver on “The Simpsons” 65. “You can’t judge a book by ___ cover” 66. Zoo animals 67. Zymurgy-related verb Down 1. ___-Seltzer 2. Hammering target 3. Part of a cash register 4. Bend down 5. Holiday song made famous by Eartha Kitt 6. “Alternatively,” in a text 7. Skin opening 8. Reveal one’s identity

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9. Quiet’s companion 10. Rushes along 11. Mike and ___ (candies) 12. X, in Roman numerals 15. Rowdy soccer fan 20. Government agents 21. ___ avis (uncommon thing) 24. Some frozen treats 25. Silver, as in Montana’s motto 26. Gold, in Latin 28. Not prone to infatuation, colloquially 29. Labor organizer Chavez 31. Fluffy birdlike creatures in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” 32. “Au revoir” relative 34. Skater’s protection 35. Utopias 36. Does simple math 39. Start of some Indian place names 42. Tyler Perry BET+ series centered around a group of male friends 44. “30 Rock” star Baldwin 46. Late audio engineer Steve 49. Jewish : kosher :: Islamic : ___ 51. Chocolate substitute that doesn’t taste like it 52. “Cat on ___ Tin Roof” 53. “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” novelist Anita 54. Medical prefix with scope 55. Time to roll or draw, maybe 56. Peter Jackson film franchise, initially 57. Ren fair instrument 58. “Ouch, that’s hot!”

59. “All Quiet on the Western Front” conflict

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): The mystics drone on endlessly about letting go. But I’m here now to praise the art of holding on fiercely, tenderly, with full commitment. Some treasures deserve your passionate grip. Some people warrant your loyal devotion. Especially in the coming months, dear Aries, I invite you to devote yourself to your exciting dreams with ardent intensity. No surrender!

Relentless perseverance! Uncompromising faith in the beauty and truth you love! What looks like stubbornness to outsiders will actually be fidelity to a vision others can’t yet see.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): As far back as the 19th century, daredevil college students in the UK have reveled in the practice of “night climbing.” They clamber up chapels, spires, towers, and bridges under cover of darkness.

Why? Mainly for adventure, mischief, and altered perspectives. In the coming months, Taurus, you may be ready for your own symbolic version of night climbing. If that sounds fun, seek out vantage points you’ve never accessed. Experiment with possibilities you’ve dismissed as off-limits or outside your range. Be safe, of course, but also be joyfully exploratory. I bet the view from the frontiers will change you in inspiring ways.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In the coming months, I’m confident you will see and understand subtleties that most people miss. You’ll be a maestro at tuning in to nuanced subtexts in conversations and hidden openings in stale situations. Everyone else may assume that familiar situations will never change, but you will have the power to tease out creative possibilities. You might even decode seemingly contradictory truths with such aplomb that you surprise yourself. Use this superpower with as much kindness as you can, Gemini. Some discoveries may tempt you toward clever mischief, but I hope that instead you will choose inspired guidance. Your expanded spectrum, if spiced with compassion, can consistently reveal your next leap.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): The honeyguide bird of Africa has a lucrative arrangement with humans.

It calls out to honey-hunters, leading them through brush to wild beehives built into trees. The people harvest the honey, and the bird eats the leftover wax and larvae. This cooperation is passed down over generations and benefits both species. Let’s use this as a metaphor for your future in 2026.

You will have extra power to notice where mutual benefit is possible, even with unexpected allies.

They may be able to guide you toward resources you couldn’t find alone, and you will have value to give in return. Keep an ear out for signals that say, “Come with me, and we’ll both gain.”

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The cathedral of NotreDame in Paris took years to build. Work began in 1163 and continued till 1345. Generations of architects, masons, and artisans contributed to the project, and those who began it didn’t live to see it completed. Yet they labored with devotion, trusting that the holy beauty they facilitated would endure beyond their lifetimes. I hope you’re inspired by this story, Leo. It’s an apt metaphor for you. In the coming months, you could and should lay stones for creations you may not see fully accomplished for months or even years. I encourage you to redefine and refine what faith means to you, and summon it in abundance.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Ready to decommission your inner censor? Interested in dropping the mask, relaxing your guard, and rewilding your gorgeous but slightly inhibited self? That’s what I recommend. Here are ways to fully enjoy the liberating grace period of the coming months: 1. Don’t deny yourself pleasures that would be healthy to indulge.

2. Shed taboos that were smart safeguards once upon a time but are no longer. 3. Re-evaluate why you treat certain fun activities as questionable.

4. Be brightly compassionate toward aspects of yourself you regard as wounded or inferior. 5. Be receptive to rebellious urges.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In 1839, French artist Louis Daguerre perfected the daguerreotype,

By Rob Brezsny

Last Week's Solution

Free Will Astrology

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