Women's Clothing Boutique in Charleston, SC

CHARLESTON, S.C. - It was a back-and-forth weekend with Sunday’s contest being no different. A late rally in the eighth inning gave Elon a 10-9 win over Charleston to take the series from Patriots Point.

Charleston and Elon traded offensive blows throughout with momentum swinging between dugouts seemingly every frame. The lead changed hands three times between the sixth and eighth inning with each side posting at least three runs in a single frame to swing the game in their favor down the stretch.

Elon took advantage of a Charleston miscue in the eighth to retake the lead at 10-8, but the Cougars weren’t done just yet. Cam Dean came within a few feet of walking it off but drove in a run on a double off the right field padding putting the tying and winning runs into scoring position. Elon was able to get out of the jam and take the game and series.

Leading Off

Final Score: Elon 10, Charleston 9

Location: Patriots Point

Records: Charleston (27-16, 13-8 CAA), Elon (27-16, 15-8 CAA)

How It Happened

Charleston opened the high-scoring affair with two runs in the first inning behind back-to-back doubles from Trotter Harlan and Luke Wood.

Elon scored the next frame on a two-run home run from Justin Cassella - the first of two for the Phoenix center fielder.

JT Marr sent a ball over the trees behind the right field wall for a 4-2 Charleston lead then two batters later Luke Wood smoked a ball over the center field fence off the batter’s eye for a 5-2 lead through three.

Elon would get one run back in the fourth with the score holding at 5-3 through five complete.

Cassella hit his second home run of the day in the sixth to tie the game at 5-5 before an RBI single from James Broderick pushed Elon ahead 6-5.

The lead changed hands once again in the seventh inning as Cole Mathis ripped his 19th double of the season down the left field line to score Khyree Miller and Joseph Mershon. Luke Wood added a sacrifice fly to make it 8-6 Cougars through seven complete.

Elon would cut it to an 8-7 game then scored three unearned runs after a Cougar miscue kept the inning alive.

Charleston had one more rally attempt in the home half of the ninth as Cam Dean doubled home Cole Mathis to make it 10-9. Elon was able to wiggle out and leave two men in scoring position to claim the game and series.

Notes

Five Cougars had multiple hits on the day and three had multi-RBI days posting nine runs on 12 hits.

Cole Mathis collected his 19th double of the season to overtake the CAA lead. Mathis also leads the Cougar offense with 37 RBI and has reached safely in 27-straight games.

Luke Wood went deep in the third inning and added an RBI double - the home run giving him the team lead on the season.

Sunday’s loss was just the second time Charleston has lost a series at home in 2023 after taking the last seven dating back to late February.

Trotter Harlan’s first-inning RBI double gave the senior a 10-game hit streak and pushed his on-base streak to 17.

Joseph Mershon has reached base safely in all 31 games he’s played finishing Sunday’s game 2-for-5 with two runs scored.

Up Next

Charleston returns to action next weekend as they head to Greensboro to face CAA newcomer North Carolina A&T.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — Senator Tim Scott was back in the Lowcountry Sunday for another stop on his "Faith in America" tour.

Scott hosted a town hall around 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 30 in Charleston.

Tim Scott teases official presidential run announcement during town hall in Charleston. (WCIV)

His key discussion points were restoring hope, creating opportunity, and protecting America.

Scott announced an Exploratory Committee for President of the United States two weeks ago while traveling to Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina on his Faith in America tour.

During his opening speech Sunday, Scott said he'll be taking his tour and exploratory committee "to the next step" on May 22 during his stop in North Charleston.

To reach the greatest century of America, Scott says we need more decisions made at home instead of in Washington D.C.

He says job number 1 to building a better America is border security.

"If you don't control your back door, you don't control your house," Scott said. "It's contributing to the deaths of more than 7000 Americans because of the fentanyl coming across our border."

Scott also talked about bettering education and says parents should decide where their kids go to school.

"Our kids are being indoctrinated and not educated, it's time for change," Scott said.

He says if the parents have a choice, the kids have a chance.

"Stop the momentum around the CRT and get back to the ABC's," Scott said.

Scott also had words for the Biden administration

"Hit the road jack, don’t you come back no more no more," Scott sang.

Scott says America is dealing with high inflation as a result of President Joe Biden printing and spending trillions of dollars.

"There's a delusion in this administration that they believe that the way you cure problems is to create more problems and then you have to create more solutions that you could credit for to solve those problems," Scott said.

Plus an announcement from scott brought visitors to their feet.

"It is time to make the final step. Please tell your friend be in attendance. North charleston more details coming your way. We will have a major announcement and you are gonna want to be there," Scott said.

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A signage complaint recently lodged against the downtown storefront of a Charleston hospitality sales business was the first in years to rise to the city’s attention.

Vacation club and timeshare companies are required to display signs explicitly stating they have no affiliation with the city or official local hospitality marketing organizations, such as Explore Charleston.

And for good reason, according to Daniel Riccio, the city’s director of livability and tourism.

While it may seem nit picky, the ordinance was enacted to curb “misleading, deceptive and aggressive solicitation” issues that arose in 2010 involving sellers of timeshares and vacation club memberships in the downtown area.

At the time, some visitors felt the city was leading them toward a sales pitch, he said. The confusion stemmed from businesses with permanent, official-sounding signage along the lines of “Charleston Visitor Center” or “Welcome Center,” which could convey an affiliation with a local government agency or what was then known as Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. The city can’t outlaw that, but it can require additional disclosures.

“This kind of signage was misleading to visitors who go in thinking it’s the visitors bureau and get lured in with promises of free tickets or tours,” Riccio said. “The other complaint back then was aggressive solicitation tactics, like an employee standing in front of the business soliciting people on the sidewalk to drum up business.”

The recent signage flap involved Vacation Inspirations LLC’s storefront at 229 Meeting St., amid claims it didn’t have the required disclosure sign.

Riccio said the matter has been resolved. The city is now working to refine the ambiguous explanation of what its signage ordinance requires.

Vacation Inspirations has operated since 2006 and is fully accredited with the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating. It has amassed 92 complaints with the S.C. Department of Consumer Affairs and 16 closed complaints filed with the BBB. Most of the complaints cite difficulties booking packages that reflect the advertised savings, inability to cancel contracts and complaints of false promises.

Company attorney David Levine said Vacation Inspirations had posted a sign that complied with the ordinance, but it was misplaced after it was temporarily relocated.

“It was never our intention to not have the sign up,” Levine said. “We’re in full compliance now. We have several thousand active members. Complaints only make up a small number of that.”

Inn progress

Two hotels slated for the Ferry Wharf development near Patriots Point have the town of Mount Pleasant’s initial design signoff, adding up to 178 guest rooms to the mixed-use development.

Both lodgings now move on to the technical review phase.

The Inn at Ferry Wharf will consist of two three-story buildings with 78 rooms and 25,000 square feet of commercial space near Patriots Point Road and Harry Hallman Boulevard, according to plans filed by Bennett Hospitality. A five-story extended-stay Marriott-flagged Residence Inn with 100 rooms also has been approved.

The waterfront Ferry Wharf development is next to the Ravenel Bridge and Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park. The first hotel, a 175-room Embassy Suites, was completed in 2021.

Bennett Hospitality, which did not respond to a request for comment, also is spearheading a large mixed-use project just down the road, at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. The master plan for Patriots Annex calls for three hotels, a convention center, three office buildings, three parking garages, an amphitheater, a boardwalk, retail space and 130 residential units on land the firm is leasing from the state.

Coming next year

A luxury resort slated for Johns Island is expected to come online next year.

The Dunlin broke ground in 2022 at Kiawah River, a 2,000-acre master-planned community.

The waterfront resort will include 72 cottage-style guestrooms and suites and 19 villas. A riverfront restaurant, event spaces, private pool, spa, main lodge with a library lounge and a wraparound porch are also in the plans.

It will be the only property in the Carolinas for operator Auberge Resorts, which expects the property to open in 2024. The company has previously described the Dunlin as high-end but laid-back, using the term “barefoot luxury.”

Around town

When the sun sets, the party along Folly Beach begins on May 5. Moonlight Mixers at the Folly Beach Pier are back, where visitors can enjoy beach music under the moonlight. Tickets, which cost $8, are required.

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NORTH CHARLESTON — The city of North Charleston is planning to make a $6 million purchase of about 400 acres of land around Ingleside Boulevard, property that will be used to develop what the city is calling an urban park.

But this recreational amenity that some say will enhance quality of life is raising concerns about livability.

City Council voted unanimously April 27 to move forward with buying the property, currently owned by Weber USA Corp. The tracts of land make up what is known as the Ingleside Weber Park System, located west of Interstate 26.

Most of the property consists of wetlands, though just over 100 acres are highlands, or areas that can be walked or built upon. The idea is to use the 400-acre space to create a passive park that will include boardwalks, walking paths and nature trails.

Instead of having to travel elsewhere to hike or enjoy the outdoors, people in North Charleston will be able to practice that kind of recreational activity essentially in their own backyard, Mayor Keith Summey said.

To pay for the land purchase, $3 million is being provided in Charleston County Greenbelt funds, $1 million in city tax-increment finance district funds, $1 million from the South Carolina Conservation Bank, and $1 million from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

City spokesman Ryan Johnson said North Charleston is doing the project because the plan is a good use of greenbelt funds, which are designed to help conserve outdoor space. It was also convenient that North Charleston was able to secure additional grant opportunities, Johnson added. There is no timetable yet for the park’s construction.

“Having a big park in an urban core is a very good amenity,” he said.

The idea of a park that could potentially bring more noise to the area alarmed Councilwoman Virginia Jamison, who has been fighting for a decade for a sound barrier to be built along I-26 to protect members of Deerpark, Northwood Estates and other adjacent communities from the blaring sounds of traffic commuting along the highway. Acquiring necessary funding from the city, county or state to build the wall has not been successful.

During a recent Finance Committee meeting, Jamison said her constituents are concerned about the increased levels of sounds emitting from the interstate and they are also worried that more noise will come from the new park. Traffic could also increase soon, as the county’s new Palmetto Commerce Interchange will soon be constructed nearby at Weber Boulevard.

Other development is also on the way to Ingleside Boulevard, which is already home to a few neighborhoods, several churches and a handful of businesses. Developers are planning on the southern end of the boulevard to build a town center that will include retail and restaurant space, a parking deck, hundreds of apartment units, and hundreds of hotel rooms.

Jamison called on City Council to take noise reduction seriously.

“If this body is not concerned about the livability and quality of life in our city, then I have a problem,” said Jamison, who did not attend the April 27 full council meeting.

Councilwoman Dorothy Williams echoed her concerns.

Summey implied that the park will center on passive nature, pointing to its focus on walking trails. The only physical building that will be constructed at the park is a facility to house restrooms and first aid.

Charleston may get most of the attention when it comes to South Carolina’s many cities, but the history, culture, and (of course) Southern charm that make it so special can also be found in smaller and less expensive places in the region. If you’ve ever watched “Forrest Gump” or read anything by the late author Pat Conroy, you may be familiar with Beaufort, a harbor town on Port Royal Island. Its narrow streets, oak trees, and historic district that pre-dates the Civil War are similar to those in Charleston, but Beaufort is remarkable and magical in its own right. Plus, it doesn’t draw the same crowds that tend to flock to notable Holy City hangouts like King Street, Folly Beach, and the Battery.

Before you read any further, though, you need to know how to properly pronounce the name. Not to be confused with Beaufort, North Carolina (said like “bow-fert”), the coastal town has a pronunciation more akin to “bew-fert.” Mistaking the two will immediately identify you as a tourist — and it won’t sit too well with the locals. Once you have that squared away, you can start planning your trip to Beaufort, the second-oldest city in South Carolina.

8 Charming Small Towns in South Carolina — From the Mountains to the Beach

Best Things to Do in Beaufort, South Carolina

In 1969, Beaufort became one of the few U.S. cities with an entire downtown designated as a historic district by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, so exploring the neighborhoods filled with Victorian, Greek Revival, Neoclassical, and Federal-style homes is at the top of most travelers’ lists. At Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, you’ll spot Woods Memorial Bridge, recognizable from the aforementioned Tom Hanks blockbuster. Stretching your legs is also encouraged along the Spanish Moss Trail, a 10-mile greenway that weaves by Beaufort’s marshes and through trees draped in Spanish moss. Given its waterfront location, Beaufort should also be experienced by boat; book a Dolphin & History Boat Cruise with Coastal Expeditions or an ecology tour with Beaufort Kayak Tours. Paddleboarding is another option, with rental equipment available at Higher Ground Outfitters.

Beaufort’s ties to the literary world are strong; visiting the Pat Conroy Literary Center (Beaufort was Conroy’s adopted hometown) or one of the three independent bookstores in town — NeverMore Books, McIntosh Book Shoppe, and Beaufort Books — is a must for book lovers. For those interested in local art, there’s the Gullah Art Gallery and Museum, Legacy Art Gallery, Rhett Gallery, Thibault Gallery, or Atelier Off Bay.

Many of the best things to do in Beaufort are found further outside of downtown. About 17 miles east is Hunting Island State Park, with its pristine beaches, marshes, maritime forest, saltwater lagoon, and the Hunting Island Lighthouse, which was destroyed during the Civil War and rebuilt in 1875. St. Helena Island (a 13-minute drive away) is home to Penn Center — one of the United States’ first schools for formerly enslaved individuals — as well as the family-owned Dempsey Farms, where you can pick in-season fruits and vegetables. Local produce can also be acquired on Saturdays at the nearby Port Royal Farmers Market.

The Best Things to Do in South Carolina, According to a Local

Beaufort Hotels

An overnight trip to Beaufort is best accompanied by a stay in one of the town’s upscale inns. Slow Southern mornings paired with a home-cooked breakfast can be enjoyed on the expansive wooden porch at The Rhett House Inn. Guests can also book the more modern Rhett House Inn Cottages, which sit across the street from the main building. Once a Union Army hospital, Anchorage 1770 overlooks the Beaufort River and offers a fine dining experience at the Ribaut Social Club. The Beaufort Inn first opened its doors in 1897, and the property’s modern-day chapter features several fully renovated buildings within the town’s historic district.

Where to Eat and Drink in Beaufort, South Carolina

As with most Southern cities and towns, food is a major part of the local culture. If you’re a traveler who plans their vacations around meals, you’ll want to start your day at Blackstone’s Cafe or Herban Market and Cafe. If you’re exploring Beaufort during the day and want something quick, order a fried chicken sandwich or po’boy from Lowcountry Produce Market & Cafe. Chapman’s Grocer also has grab-and-go treats, wine, and craft beer. Old Bull Tavern is a lively gastropub open only for dinner, Saltus River Grill is great for indulging in seafood, and those craving Italian should dine at Griffin Market. Gullah Grub Restaurant on St. Helena Island is one of the area’s most famous restaurants (it appeared on Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations); get the shrimp gumbo.

Best Time to Visit

A South Carolina summer is hot and humid — there’s no getting around that. To explore Beaufort in the most comfortable climate, your best bet is to go in either early spring or late fall. April and October are ideal for having plenty to do (winter is far from bustling) while simultaneously avoiding the sweltering weather synonymous with the South.

Getting There

If you’re flying into Hilton Head Airport (HHH) or Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV) — both are under an hour away — you’ll need to rent a car to fully experience Beaufort and its surrounding area. Charleston International Airport (CHS) is also an option, although it’ll take about 90 minutes to get to Beaufort.