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VOLUME 17 ISSUE 25
Charge It!
SOON YOU CAN HEAD TO TOWN HALL TO CHARGE YOUR EV BY THERESA STRATFORD
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For The Island Connection
iawah Island is moving forward with installing four electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at Town Hall – the first ones on the island. Qualified firms who can install the charging stations had to submit their proposals to Kiawah Island Town Hall by February 23. The request for proposal (RFP) had to cover the following: installation drawings and schematics, line items of all materials, cost of civil asphalt work, EV charging signage with striping, bollards and foundation, project phases and a project timeline. There will be four Blink charging stations installed at Town Hall once the work is complete. Council Member and Mayor Pro Tempore Michael Heidingsfelder said, “We are very excited to take another step forward in providing a more balanced infrastructure for powering vehicles of our fleets and for (continued on page 4)
Health and Wellness Village Struck Down by Charleston County BY THERESA STRATFORD For The Island Connection
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t’s back to the drawing board for Principal Developer John Skerchek and his team with Island Park Place. On February 13, Charleston County Council upheld the Charleston County Planning and Public Works Committee’s February 8 recommendation to deny the development’s rezoning request. However, the developers won’t have to be at the drawing board for very long. In another vote, Charleston County Council waived the requirement for the developer to resubmit another application in a year and any fees that would come with that. That means they could come back to Charleston County with an updated plan for free as soon as they are ready to present one – no need to wait an entire year, as normally required. Charleston County Council wasn’t even scheduled to discuss the topic as early on in the meeting on February 13 as they did. It was bumped up from the last item on the agenda to one of the (continued on page 2) first topics of discussion.
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MARCH 8, 2024
The Charleston Animal Society marks its 150th anniversary BY JOE ELMORE
For The Island Connection
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s the Charleston Animal Society continues through its sesquicentennial year, one can’t help but be struck by the intertwined threads that link the history of Charleston and the history of the Society. South Carolina’s first animal organization and one of the oldest in the nation, the Charleston Animal Society will celebrate its 150th anniversary throughout 2024. It originally was formed on March 14, 1874 as the South Carolina Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and focused on working animals such as livestock, farm animals and horses. A group of prominent Charlestonians established the organization, led by its first president, Nathaniel Russell Middleton. Dr. John L. Ancrum was the second president of the Animal Society; his impact would propel the organization forward into the next century. When he died in 1900, Ancrum willed the Animal Society “the rest and residue” of his estate. The will wound its way through the courts for 40 years before the case was settled at the beginning of World War II, when the organization changed its name to the John Ancrum Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. “I still run into people to this day who refer to us as ‘John Ancrum,’” said Charleston Animal Society Senior Director of Community Engagement Kay Hyman. In 2008, the organization’s name was shortened to Charleston Animal Society, about the same time it moved into its current location at 2455 Remount Road in North Charleston. Not always a shelter A common misconception is that Charleston Animal Society was formed to shelter homeless animals, but it wasn’t until 74 years after its founding that the Society began to shelter animals in response to the cruelty and death perpetrated on them by local governments. Back then, it was common for government to round up stray dogs and kill animals by inhumane means such as drowning. Countless dogs met their final demise in the Ashley and Cooper River. However, as the government-designated animal shelter in Charleston County, the Charleston Animal Society worked for decades to lower euthanasia rates and push for more humane methods of putting animals to sleep. In 1910, the Society was “authorized to purchase a gas tank,” as an alternative to drowning. In 1948, building began on a shelter located at 667 Meeting St., now home to Patrick Veterinary Clinic. From downtown,
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the Society moved west, setting up first on St. Andrews Boulevard and then on Dupont Road in the 1960s. The Animal Society later operated out of a trailer next to the jail for 24 years but had to move when the Sheriff’s Office needed the land to expand the jail. Into the 21st century Planning for the 21st century, the organization’s leaders initiated public spay/ neuter efforts along with teaching compassion to children. Both initiatives continued to grow in the early 2000s. With the move to its current location in North Charleston, the Animal Society was still not adequate in size for the Charleston community. In fact, the Remount Road facility was overcrowded on day one. However, as one of a dozen selected communities to participate in the nationwide Mission Orange project, the Animal Society worked with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals over a five-year period to significantly increase Charleston County’s live release rate. In 2013, taking in well over 90% of the animals throughout Charleston County and despite overwhelming odds, the Animal Society built the first No Kill Community in the Southeast, saving all of the healthy and treatable animals in its care. With that remarkable achievement and other unprecedented accomplishments, the Animal Society became an international model for lifesaving success. The Charleston Animal Society has not stopped its momentum as a national leader in improving the plight of animals. Last year, the Society set a Guinness World Record for pet vaccines, organized the nation’s largest annual statewide adoption event for dogs and cats for six years in a row, won a North American competition of nonprofits with Land Rover and sustained Charleston County as a No Kill Community for 11 years. Celebrating a rich history The Charleston Animal Society will celebrate its rich history throughout the year at multiple events and will also produce a commemorative edition of its Carolina Tails magazine in June. The remarkable history of Charleston Animal Society, anchored in leadership, tradition and excellence, is only possible through its membership and community support. Over 60% of its funding is through contributions, and its membership comprises more than 20,000 individuals who give a gift of their time, their home or their income.
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