JAMES ISLAND — A new dry bar is now open on James Island. Instead of using alcohol, the bar utilizes CBD, Delta-8 and Delta-9 seltzers produced by High Rise Beverage Co.

The bar, the first of its kind in the state, is at the back of the new storefront space of Charleston Hemp Collective at 1989 Maybank Highway Unit 103. It’s right next to a cycling studio and across the street a little ways down from The Terrace Theater.

The store, dry bar and seltzer company are all owned by Lowcountry duo Matt and Libiss Skinner, who met in Columbia when they were kids.

“There’s actually a picture of the two of us at age 10 and 8 kissing on my grandmother’s front porch,” said Matt, with a chuckle.

Now married, they’ve made it their mission to spread awareness of the healing qualities of hemp and hemp-derived products.

It all started with Libiss’ ulcerative colitis diagnosis. She was prescribed 11 pills a day at one point and was on a steroid that came with a bunch of side effects.

“I knew I couldn’t sustain that, and I was really scared,” she said.

After doing her own research, Libiss turned to CBD as part of a daily anti-inflammatory and pain control regimen, as well as a way to decrease anxiety and stress surrounding her health condition. She hasn’t had a flare up in almost two years.

It was around a year ago when the couple started High Rise Beverage Co. and began selling their real fruit- and hemp product-infused seltzers. The drinks are canned in North Carolina and come in flavors such as pineapple, blackberry, grapefruit, blood orange, raspberry, black cherry and lime. They’re also infused with CBD, Delta-8 or Delta-9, at a percentage of .3 or less of THC to adhere to the federal government’s legal requirements as outlined in the Farm Bill Act.

At the bar on James Island, these seltzers are used to make a variety of mocktails, many of which come in tiki glasses and fit the tropical theme. Bird wallpaper and a plant wall are complimented by a neon pink sign that explains the concept: “cannabis dry bar.”

The pandemic has changed the way people work in the U.S., even as industries have returned to pre-COVID-19 times.

As the number of fully remote setups has declined, many companies have transitioned to the four-day work week, a shift that some say has improved mental health, finances and relationships. There is momentum behind the movement, so much so that it is trickling down to the restaurant industry.

Across the country, some big-city restaurants are paring back hours to create a more sustainable schedule that could help draw wary veteran workers back to the business, The New York Times reported in August.

In Charleston, however, restaurants seem to be adding hours rather than taking them away.

Last year, James Beard Foundation “American Classic” Bowens Island Restaurant expanded its hours to include lunch. Restaurants that welcomed fall 2023 with the addition of lunch include Harold’s Cabin, Blu Oyster Sushi and Seafood, Azur and The Longboard, among others.

Jackrabbit Filly removed its lunch service but added three additional dinner seatings: Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. The Ordinary recently announced it would start opening on Mondays, a historically slow restaurant night that has been added back into the fold at Chasing Sage.

What is behind this wave of service expansions? It depends on the restaurant.

Many new restaurants add lunch after owners find the staffing to handle an additional service. Such was the case for The Neighborhood Dining Group at Delaney Oyster House, Minero and The James, which added Saturday and Sunday lunch in September.

Delaney Oyster House started with that weekend-only lunch rollout earlier this year before adding Fridays on Sept. 1. The 115 Calhoun St. restaurant — a worthy alternative for those not willing to wait for a lobster roll at nearby 167 Raw — has drawn enough of a crowd to warrant a third day of lunch. Otherwise, David Howard, NDG’s President, would not have added it.

“We can’t just be open and not be busy,” Howard said. “It really is a math calculation.”

Serving lunch was part of the long-term plans at Ma’am Saab, a Pakistani restaurant that serves dahi puri, chicken tikka pizza, kabab rolls and more at lunch Friday and Saturday. The midday meal was always an important part of Ma’am Saab during its days at exploratory food court Workshop, so it only made sense to bring it to the brick-and-mortar restaurant, which opened in May.

“Bringing that service back with unique lunch-only offerings has been in the works since we opened our doors at 251 Meeting St. this year,” said Ma’am Saab co-owner Raheel Gauba, who owns the restaurant with his wife, chef Maryam Ghaznavi. “We always wanted to pay homage to where we started and how we began serving the Charleston community.”

Husk, another Neighborhood Dining Group restaurant, does not serve a standard lunch, but its recently renovated patio is now open all day on the weekend. (Full hours are 4-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4-11 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday.)

For weekend diners, the limited menu served on the patio provides a bridge service between 2 and 5 p.m., when brunch ends and dinner starts.

“We invested and built a small support kitchen in our prep area,” Howard said. “We set that up in a way that we can have an alternative menu that can serve the patio and the bar.”

Additional services does not necessarily mean longer hours for NDG employees. Howard says chefs and management get two days off per week, even though each Neighborhood Dining Group restaurant stays open seven days a week.

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CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Ahnyia Jenkins is a sophomore at James Island Charter High School. She’s the youngest member on the Trojans coaching staff, and the only female on staff.

“I’ve never loved anything, I’ve never been more passionate, I’ve never invested so much time into something like I’ve done coaching,” Jenkins said.

James Island Head Football Coach Jamar McKoy admits when Jenkins first told him she wanted to come coach football, he was skeptical.

“At first I thought it was a joke, and I was like, yeah sure come,” McKoy said. “She came out and she stayed a week and I was like ‘hmm, well maybe she really likes it.’”

He says she was persistent and intentional throughout the process.

“Then I read her notes from what she took in Spring ball and was like she’s going to be really good at coaching football and this is something that she has a passion for,” McKoy said.

Jenkins was born and raised on James Island. She says she grew up going to James Island football games with her grandpa. He was a youth coach for years in the Lowcountry. Jenkins says he played a big role in encouraging her to pursue coaching.

“She hasn’t missed a practice. She hasn’t missed a coach’s meeting,” McKoy said. “We generally meet on Sunday mornings during the season and Ahnyia hasn’t missed one.”

McKoy says this staff has given Jenkins the space to share her opinions and ideas in those meetings.

“They’ve just accepted me as one of their own,” Jenkins said. “I mean, it’s really nothing to it. I don’t even think about it like male, female, it’s just like coach to coach, player to coach.”

McKoy says he plans to give Jenkins her own position group next season. She’ll be the Junior Varsity running backs coach.

“When I first got over there I felt like running backs is where I was going to be at,” Jenkins said. “It was just all down to footwork, the plays, and I just understood it.”

The Trojans are off to a 5-0 start to the season. They enter Region 7, 4A play this Friday against Colleton County. Jenkins says it’s been humbling to be on this journey with the team, but she knows just like the team, this is just the beginning for her too.

The sophomore coach, Jenkins, says she hopes to be a coach at the college level in the future.

“Whatever she wants to do with this sport, in and around it, in the future, the world is her oyster,” McKoy said.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

JAMES ISLAND — Charleston Water System is investigating a sewer main break on Harborview Road that poured unknown amounts of wastewater into James Island Creek.

This is the second time in three years that a break occurred in this area.

Environmentalists say the repeated frequency, combined with current bacteria concerns, suggest better system maintenance is needed, along with riddance of septic tanks adjacent to the creek.

A contract diver discovered on the afternoon of March 9 that two pipes had separated, causing the leak.

A fisherman notified the water utility March 8 of the underwater break in the water below the Julian Thomas Buxton Jr. Bridge. It took time for inspection crews to get to the site because of the tides, but the pumps were turned off shortly after, said Mike Saia, a spokesman for the utility.

Shutting off the pumps eliminated the release of additional wastewater into the water system.

This sewer main manages wastewater from a broad area of the James Island Public Service District and parts of unincorporated Charleston County. The same one broke about three years ago in the marsh but closer to Plum Island. It took a number of days to repair.

The breaks are a big concern, said Andrew Wunderley, executive director at Charleston Waterkeeper.

“It’s an established problem with bacteria pollution at James Island Creek from human sources and other sources, as well,” he said. “Any additional bacteria discharge in a creek is a concern of course.”

Charleston Waterkeeper consistently tests the quality of a number of waterbodies in the Lowcountry, including James Island Creek. The waterkeepers sample for bacteria as an indicator of the possible presence of pathogens.

Persistently high bacteria levels have been identified in the James Island Creek, mainly in the Folly Road area. Wunderley said any input of bacteria is a problem.

It is a challenge for iron pipes to survive long-term in soft environments like the marshy parts of Charleston. Saia said Charleston Water System is considering grant funding to help replace the James Island pipes that have seen two breaks in three years.

This notion is good progress, Wunderley said, “but I think we need to accelerate that project.”

“Whatever needs to be done to bump that up in the priority list, they need to be thinking about it,” he added.

A vactor truck was on site March 9 to pump down the wet wells and pump stations at both sides of the break. Because of this, no additional wastewater will spill into the creek, Saia said. The utility is working on a plan to repair the pipes.

People are urged to avoid swimming, fishing or using the area for other recreational activities until further notice.

Interruptions to customers’ service is not expected while assessments and repairs are made. No road closures have been announced.

In the meantime, people can do like the fisherman on March 8, and report possible main breaks. It’s helpful in identifying them and stopping the wasterwater spills.

JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD)- It has been 35 days since Jennifer Drummond was found severely injured along a James Island road.

Friends and family are still searching for answers in what is believed to be a hit-and-run.

The family, joined by their attorney, held a press conference Wednesday morning with new details they hope will bring them closer to finding the person responsible.

The Drumond family, fatigued, after over a month of not knowing exactly what happened to Jenn.

“We don’t sleep at night, wondering if someone texted with a lead,” Jenn’s uncle, Chris Drummond said.

However, they’re not letting up.

Drummond said, “You just can’t hit somebody in the roadway and drive off, and someone not know something.”

Searching everywhere they know of for answers to what is believed to be a hit-and-run.

In a press conference Wednesday morning, their attorney Scott Bischoff, gave new information on her movements that morning.

“Based on information on Jenn’s phone, her step count that was also connected to her apple watch, we believe that she left her house around 5:17 and her step count stops at 5:18, just before 5:19,” Bischoff said.

According to surveillance video there were three cars that drove down Woodland Shores Road around the time of the incident, but new video shows the car believed to be the one that hit Jenn.

“We believe the primary suspect vehicle is vehicle number 3, that appears to be a relatively modern SUV with a sunroof and 5 lights,” Bischoff said.

As far as Jenn’s condition, family members say she is making progress.

They say she got up and walked yesterday, but she’s still very slow to answer questions and there’s still a long way to go.

At this point they’re just doing whatever they can to bring justice to Jenn.

“On top of a really awful injury that she suffered, our mind is also thinking who did this, when will answers surface, will answers surface. It’s something that weighs on our mind constantly,” Jenn’s best friend, Audrey Marhoefer said.

There is a $10,000 reward for information about the incident of you have any information about this incident, call the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office.

Charleston’s Neighborhood Dining Group is living up to its name with its newest restaurant concept.

Set to open this summer in the 1939-A Maybank Highway space previously occupied by Zia Taqueria, The James will be an “all-American grill” serving a range of options at various price points. The James will feel comfortable yet clubby and stylish, Neighborhood Dining Group President David Howard said.

The type of place one might visit for a quality hamburger on a Tuesday night and a prime rib on the weekend.

“It just intrigued me as an opportunity,” said Howard of the 4,600-square-foot James Island property. “It’s a concept that I’m comfortable with.”

Howard likened the The James’ approachable neighborhood offering to that of his first restaurant, Chicago’s Steak and Seafood, which he opened in Roswell, Ga. in 1991. He believes The James will provide another dining option for James Island residents who do not want to venture downtown.

The Maybank Highway-bookmarked Riverland Terrace neighborhood is undergoing a dining renaissance, one that Howard says his group is excited to join. In the last three years, the area has lured downtown Charleston restaurateurs to James Island, including the owners of Bar George, Millers All Day and Huriyali.

Millers All Day’s Terrace Plaza space opened up after Zia Taqueria moved across the street to the 1939-A Maybank Highway building The James will soon call home. Formerly occupied by Athens Restaurant, the space was twice the size of Zia’s original.

There are plenty of great cocktails around town, but these establishments truly take things to the next level.

Here are some of our favorite places to drink cocktails around Charleston.

Bar George

1956 Maybank Highway

The only place on this list to draw you off the peninsula is by far worth the trip. Bar George, located next to the Terrace Theater on James Island, offers delicious and refreshing cocktails (and food). The Spanish Fly, Raspberry Painkiller and Batters Box are a few favorite options that can pair well with an appetizer of chilled broccolini or spring chicory Caesar salad with Peruvian chicken. Plus, tiki happy hour from 5 to 6 p.m. daily does not disappoint.

Dalila’s

441 Meeting St., Suite F

Dalila’s is a 1950s-inspired cocktail bar and lounge off Spring Street that’s ideal for a pre-dinner drink. Unique seasonal cocktails are made from scratch, inspired by the bright flavors of the Caribbean. Among refreshing options are the Captain’s Kick, a nutty spiced mule mixed with a Mai Tai, and the El Conejo, a daquiri packed with smoke and tropical fruit. During happy hour, you can also order the Find Your Beach for $8, where you select your liquor, flavor and if you want it up or on the rocks.