Chiropractic Care in Knightsville, SC

SUMMERVILLE — Every school in Dorchester District 2 rated average or higher in the first state report card issued since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The S.C. Department of Education evaluates all school districts in the state based on several factors, including test scores, student growth, graduation rates and college and career readiness. The report card looks at a minimum of 85 percent of students tested, and all the schools in DD2 greatly exceeded that threshold with a minimum of a 96 percent participation rate, according to superintendent Shane Robbins.

State report cards haven’t been issued over the past two years due to COVID-19.

Of the schools in the district, 10 were rated excellent, six were rated good and eight were rated average overall. Newly opened East Edisto Middle School was not included since it only began instruction this semester.

This is the first time in at least five years that no school was rated below average or unsatisfactory, according to Thad Schmenk, director of assessment and accountability.

The schools that were distinguished as excellent were Ashley Ridge, Fort Dorchester and Summerville High Schools; Rollings Middle School of the Arts; Beech Hill, Fort Dorchester, Knightsville, Spann, Summerville and Windsor Hill Arts Infused Elementary Schools.

The schools were also graded on some achievement indicators, such as growth in English language arts and math, science and social studies, school climate and English learner’s progress. In some of these categories, a couple schools were rated as below average or unsatisfactory, but Schmenk said he sees room for improvement and has high hopes for the schools.

Five schools were rated below average in the science and social studies achievement indicators, five were rated below average in the growth in English language arts and math and one was rated as unsatisfactory. Six schools were rated below average in the school climate indicator.

Knowing now that some students may need more support, Robbins suggested paying more attention on what’s going on inside the classroom to see where students are in terms of meeting learning standards.

“We’re going to have to be more targeted in our approaches to try to make these kids achieve more focus,” Robbins said.

All three high schools either exceeded or maintained their pre-COVID-19 college and career readiness ratings, according to a DD2 press release. The district increased its graduation rate to 93.3, which is the fourth consecutive year of improvement.

DD2 board member Justin Farnsworth said upon looking at the report card, he wasn’t surprised at the results, even with COVID-19 forcing students to learn remotely for some time.

“It just shows that we’re able to bounce back from difficult issues that came up,” Farnsworth said. “That’s the resilience of kids, the resilience of our educators and it’s just having the best of the best.”

Robbins echoed Farnsworth’s sentiments in a press release, attributing the success to the educators, staff, students and families of DD2.

“While we are proud of this year’s results, we will continue to seek ways to grow and improve,” Robbins said.

Report cards are available at www.screportcards.com.

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCBD) – It was 1973 when Shirley McGreal, then living in Southeast Asia, saw beady bright eyes staring back at her from between the slats of a wooden crate.

The eyes belonged to a gibbon — a primate native to the region — who had fallen victim to the dangerous world of the pet trade, where gibbons were being sold into homes, zoos, or labs, only to later be discarded.

In 1977, McGreal created the International Primate Protection League (IPPL) in Summerville as a gibbon sanctuary. The now 47-acre property remains nestled in a quiet area of the Lowcountry that is illuminated by the sounds of the primates singing to one another.

Meg McCue-Jones, the Compliance and Outreach Manager, explained that the land was a sod farm in the late 70s and started taking in the gibbons that needed help soon after.

One of the sanctuary’s residents, Gibby, is one of the oldest known living gibbons at over 60 years old.

Like most of the gibbons at the sanctuary, his life started off rough.

McCue-Jones said that Gibby was wild caught, and “with every gibbon wild caught, they shoot mom out of the tree, hoping baby falls, and then they take the baby.”

He was first sold into the pet trade in by a Bangkok dealer, but that was just the beginning. Gibby went to labs at Hofstra University and the State University at Stony Brook.

Researchers embedded electrodes in his skin as part of a locomotion project.

The electrodes and thin wires were inserted into his muscles and connected him to a suit that would measure his muscle movements. McCue-Jones explained that this was obviously not an ideal situation on any aspect, whether it be a human or animal.

At 44, Gibby made it to his first sanctuary, but the conditions were hard on his body. In March of 2007, just four years after his arrival, the IPPL reached out to the sanctuary to relocate not only Gibby, but several other gibbons.

For Gibby, like the other 29 at the sanctuary, Summerville is his last stop. McCue-Jones says that the sanctuary is their forever home.

But with the pandemic, their home has become more difficult to manage.

With fear of COVID-19 spreading to the primates, volunteers were no longer allowed to assist with the many daily tasks necessary to keep the place running.

From hosing the outsides of the enclosures, to raking, food prep, and even assistance inside the office—the staff was left with mounting responsibilities.

The economic impacts of the pandemic left donors and community partners reeling financially, but the bills at the sanctuary remained steady.

As a non-federally funded organization, the IPPL relies heavily on donations to meet the needs of the animals.

Stacy Lambert, a Senior Animal Care Giver, said that since a lot of their population has started to reach geriatric ages, their vet bills are getting bigger as they are having more interventions and medications, different procedures, and checkup appointments with Dr. John Ohlandt.

While expensive, their system of care has proven to work.

Lambert says that in the wild, gibbons usually live about 30-35 years. However, in captivity, gibbons living into their 40s is normal. However, the IPPL has quite a few gibbons that are up in their 40s and 50s while, of course, Gibby is 62.

Although the interventions from the IPPL show the ability of the sanctuary, McCue-Jones said all those at the IPPL ultimately wish there was not a need for them at all, and that the gibbons could live freely in the wild.

McCue-Jones said, “as Shirley has spoken of before, if you really think about it, do humans need sanctuaries, should we have them? Should we be treating the animals this way?”

To send the Gibbons a care package full of nuts, click here.

To donate to the IPPL’s missions and day-to-day operations, click here.

To send specified items needed by the IPPL via Amazon, click here.

A few core beliefs have guided Minde Herbert to build a business that is taking the Lowcountry by storm and giving people a boost towards living more healthfully.

Through her company, Sea Island Organics, she is furthering the wisdom that food can heal; that it matters where food comes from and how it’s grown; that it’s easier to stay well than get well; and that when we help each other, we all rise — something especially important in business.

Sea Island Organics hand-crafts small-batch elderberry products; chief among them are its elderberry Syrup and elderberry herbal tea blends. It is the first elderberry company in South Carolina to be designated “Certified SC” by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture; its process is distinguished by a Registration Verification Certificate (RCA). Only one other elderberry company in the state has similar credentials.

Minde Herbert has become the familiar face for the business, bringing her products to farmers markets across the local area. On Saturdays, she can be found at the Summerville Farmers Market, dispensing good cheer and useful information about how to use elderberry products. Her products can also be found at Coastal Produce on Cedar Street and Knightsville General Store. Currently, Sea Island Organics offers products in over 40 locations in the Lowcountry area in a variety of places such as specialty farmers markets, food stores, bodegas, neighborhood stores and corner markets. With products found from Awendaw to Edisto, Folly Beach to Summerville, the company continues to grow across the Lowcountry and into out-of-state markets. See the handy store locator on its website: https://seaislandorganics.com/pages/store-locator

Herbert is on a mission to let her customers know that they are buying a beneficial, nutrient-rich food, not a drug or an unregulated supplement. “You use our products like fresh produce, living food,” said Herbert. “It doesn’t sit on the shelf for two years.”

This sets the company apart from other marketers of elderberry products, according to Herbert. Supplements are not regulated in the state of South Carolina. “It is really important to me that I am making a food — a safe, healthy product for children and families to consume,” said Herbert. Depending on the characteristics and factors around a food, manufacturers and crafters have to get approval from either the FDA or DHEC to sell to grocery stores or specialty markets.

“We didn’t want to be regulated by the FDA which is how other elderberry syrups are regulated,” said Herbert. “We know that food heals and we wanted to create a product that helps families stay healthy. We’re regulated by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture.” Sea Island Organics products are produced in a DHEC approved kitchen, lab tested by Clemson University and are ServSafe® certified, a food safety program accredited by U.S. Restaurant Association, ANSI, and the Conference for Food Protection.

Sea Island Organics uses six real food ingredients for its products: fresh raw ginger, cloves, raw local honey, Ceylon cinnamon, organic lemon juice, elderberries and Oconee Valley artesian water, directly from the bedrock with no filtering. “You see syrups that have 12 or more ingredients, but I believe less is more,” said Herbert. “We use a simple, traditional recipe.” Their products are made every week; they are sold chilled and need to remain chilled. They will last for four months from the date of creation.

Herbert is critical of companies that use what she calls the ‘dump and boil’ method of processing. “Boiling something to death doesn’t protect or increase the nutrients. You wouldn’t boil your lettuce or kale. We have a very specific cooking and filtering process to preserve as many nutrients as possible.”

Other products offered by the company include seasonal elderberry mulling spices, elderberry powder that can be used in baking or sprinkled on cereal or yogurt, and craft-yourself elderberry syrup kits. “Elderberry for everyone,” said Herbert. “It doesn’t have to be expensive because it’s trendy. If the products aren’t within your budget, buy a kit and make your own.”

Herbert is not allowed by law to make health claims for her products. “We know the fruit has health benefits, but I can’t tell you that my products improve health. I can tell you that there is evidence-based research on my ingredients that says they are beneficial. Nobody’s done research on my syrup, but much is known about the benefits of elderberries. I can talk all day long about those.” Loaded with antioxidants, elderberries are known to offer powerful immune system support that could reduce inflammation, lessen stress, help prevent and relieve cold and flu symptoms and help protect the heart.

There’s nothing new about the use of elderberry syrup. Many centuries ago, people learned to cook down and sweeten elderberries into simple syrup to access its health benefits. The practice has been revived and is popular today. Sweetening tempers the natural tartness of elderberries.

When asked by potential customers why they can’t just buy elderberries from the grocery store, Herbert explains that they are not to be eaten raw. They are tangy and astringent and just don’t taste very good. Plus, they contain a compound that can cause gastrointestinal problems. The seeds, stems, leaves and roots are considered toxic.

Sea Island Organics obtains its elderberries from small trusted farms that only produce elderberries. The company seeks to buy from local and regional sources as much as possible, according to Herbert. “We’re careful to choose partners that are in line with our integrity and beliefs,” she said. “We seek out growers that are USDA certified organic and practice fair trade. I need to meet the farmer and know the source.”

The small, purplish-black elderberry is not a picky crop. It’s prolific along the highway; scattered in ditches. It grows quickly and is happy with a lot of sun and moisture. It doesn’t have natural pests other than birds, deer or aphids. “The biggest problem is birds,” said Herbert. “They seem to know when they’re ripe before we do.”

Herbert’s background positioned her well to be successful with Sea Island Organics. She has a solid background in public relations and branding and she studied nutrition in college. Recognizing the importance of nutrition for her children, she decided to pursue opportunities in that field. Prompted by the 2008 recession, she started a company to teach people how to live well and affordably organic on a budget. She gave lessons in making elderberry syrup and other products that were typically expensive so people could make them on their own. “Eventually people just wanted to buy my syrup,” said Herbert. “That’s how I became a food producer.”

“I found that I wanted to help other moms and families. It’s really expensive to be sick, nobody wants that. My focus has always been to help people to be well — nutritionally, financially and with businesses,” said Herbert.

Herbert is in the beginning stages of setting up a non-profit to help women establish and grow their businesses and support each other. Her mantra is “We rise together.”

She adds: “When a wholesaler is interested in selling my product, I don’t require delivery fees; I don’t have minimums for sales. We rise together. Share the wealth and we all get rich. We are meant to be on this earth to help each other.”

It’s the end of an era for roller skaters. Music in Motion Family Fun Center roller rink in Summerville shut its doors for good Sunday night. A rink employee confirmed Monday that the skating facility has permanently closed.

Last Thursday, at the rink’s final adult night, skaters zipped along, displaying skills that spanned from spinning and dancing on wheels backwards to apprehensive first-timers feeling it out. A disco ball spun along with the tunes that weren’t necessarily child-appropriate.

As word spread the rink would close permanently, skaters unabashedly filmed one another to document their joy and camaraderie as they zoomed around in circles grooving to the beat.

The closing of Music in Motion is a major cultural loss for the area, many say, especially since the only other rinks in the area, Hot Wheels Skate Center and Stardust Skate Center, closed in 2014.

Summerville native Demont Teneil said he has skated at Music in Motion for 14 years. For him, roller skating is therapy to help navigate career and relationships changes.

“I needed something that no one could take from me — and it was skating,” Teneil said. “It’s been my outlet. I just kept going and just kept trying new tricks and it rolled me out of depression.”

Teneil said he heard from his fellow skaters that Music in Motion, which opened in 2001, would not be a roller rink much longer.

“I’m sad that it’s been sold but it will definitely still always be a part of me, because I’ve learned so many of my tricks at the skating rink,” Teneil said. He plans to start traveling to Savannah, Ga., and Columbia to rink skate, and will hit the outdoor skate areas, such The Bridge Spot off of Poinsett Street in downtown Charleston.

The dynamic of teaching and learning is a big part of the roller skating experience at Music in Motion, others said.

“Everybody’s really nice and supportive,” said Nick Velez, who’s been skating regularly at Music in Motion since February. He has roller skated for about 16 years and used to be an instructor in Southern California before he moved to Goose Creek.

“Everybody’s really cool and down to help out,” he said. “If you’re struggling, don’t fear. They’ll help you up. If you have any questions, if you want to learn something, they’re more than happy to show you how to do it. If you’re trying to pop off and be yourself, they’re all about it.”

Shmeika Hall from Goose Creek said she worked at Music in Motion for almost a year before she left her position as a rink floor guard last June.

“Working here was important to me because I was able to teach people how to skate,” she said. “I was able to interact and make skating friends. When I first started skating here, maybe five years ago, it was a very small crowd of adults, but over time it has grown. [The rink] was like a safe place for adults to come and have fun, and I don’t know how we’re going to do that now.”

A few months ago, Auburn Fiore, who lives in Knightsville, visited Music in Motion for the first time in 10 years. As a child, she said she visited frequently.

“When I came here for adult skate night, I realized how joyous and amazing the community is here,” Fiore said. “While we’re here, we’re all one big community that loves to come together, dance and have a great time. I’m definitely scared of losing a place for us all to gather and bond over roller skating.”

Roller skating is just as much about congregating as a group as it is the privilege to have a space to skate, she said. Outdoor roller skating isn’t an ideal option for beginner skaters, she added, because of uneven concrete, blistering heat and rules that prohibit skating at sports courts around the area.

“It’s definitely devastating,” Fiore said. “Now all the people that have bonded over this super-interesting talent and hobby, there’s nowhere for us to congregate.”

While the future of roller skating in the area is unclear, one option exists for women skaters: Lowcountry Highrollers Derby, a local women’s roller derby team. It’s offering a meet-and-greet Thursday.

Highrollers president Traci Doutaz of Ladson remembers going to Music in Motion often between 2015 and 2017 after Hot Wheels Skate Center closed.

“For beginners, it’s super important to have a roller rink to learn not only because the floor is amazing, but [it] also has skates to borrow,” she said. “Roller skating is not the easiest hobby to just pick up and not having a local roller rink and its community just takes that option away for a lot of people.”

Doutaz joined Highrollers in 2010, and she said it was popular up until about 2015 when the group lost its bouting venue at The Citadel. Then Covid-19 hit and roller skating blew up, Doutaz said, so there was renewed interest in Highrollers. After more than a year of searching, North Charleston Coliseum offered the group a space to practice and hold bouts currently. The closest roller derby club for men is in Columbia, she said.

Doutaz has been roller skating for almost 30 years. She worked her first job as a carhop on skates at a Sonic in Kentucky.

“Emotionally it’s my escape,” she said. “It’s how I deal with things. It’s my happy place. I’m more comfortable with wheels on my feet than anything else.”

The Highrollers group offers a haven for women skaters who need to be shown the ropes.

“We will teach you everything: how to skate and how to fall,” Doutaz said. “You can show up even if you have never put skates on before.”

Lowcountry Highrollers Derby is hosting a meet-and-greet 6-9 p.m. Aug. 25 at Rusty Bull in North Charleston.

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A North Charleston restaurant and bar is adding a second location while two other dining spots are now open in the Charleston suburbs.

Neighborhood Tap House plans to open by early fall in Festival Centre Shopping Center at Dorchester and Ashley Phosphate roads next to Ocean City Chinese Restaurant.

The restaurant and bar opened its original location at 2110 Greenridge Road off Rivers Avenue in North Charleston in 2015, according to business partner Fred Cavedo.

He hopes to have the venue open by the end of August, but he said construction is still underway so the launch is open-ended at this time.

In Ladson, a new breakfast, brunch and lunch restaurant is now serving.

Eggs Up Grill opened Monday at 3679 Ladson Road in front of Walmart Neighborhood Market. Its hours are 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. Another Eggs Up Grill is coming to the new Harris Teeter-anchored shopping center under development in West Ashley Circle.

Marc Cotone, owner of the new Ladson location, cited “the high volume of traffic, yet general lack of dining options in the Ladson Road/Palmetto Commerce Parkway area” when discussing the location choice.

“Eggs Up Grill continues to be a perfect fit for growing areas like Ladson, and we saw a great need here for the quality product and customer service that this brand is known for,” Cotone said. “We look forward to partnering with this community and becoming a hub of local activity, all while serving our neighbors for breakfast, brunch and lunch.”

The restaurant has three other locations in the Charleston area. They are in Cane Bay in Berkeley County, northern Mount Pleasant and the Knightsville area of Summerville.

Also now open is Agaves Mexican Cantina in the Lowes Foods-anchored Market at Mill Creek Shopping Center on S.C. Highway 41 in Mount Pleasant.

Package deal

The UPS Store will open a new location on the Charleston peninsula by November.

The packaging and printing company will move into a space at 472 Meeting St., Suite C, at Columbus Street.

“As development on the Peninsula continues to grow, we found that many areas were underserved,” said UPS Store franchisee Michael Cunningham. “By opening on the corner of Meeting and Columbus streets, our goal is to help people by providing them with the best possible print and business services without having to cross the peninsula to get them.”

Bow wow

A former retail shop in the Charleston region is being transformed into what is being called South Carolina’s first luxury dog hotel.

K9 Resorts Daycare and Luxury Hotels is upfitting an 8,900-square-foot former Rite Aid pharmacy store at 918 Houston Northcutt Blvd. in the Harris Teeter-anchored Village Pointe Shopping Center.

The pet boarding facility will feature chandeliers, hospital-grade heating and air conditioning, ornate architecture, executive suites, and modern antimicrobial design elements inside and out for man’s best friend.

Kim Tryon, a veterinary tech dedicated to animal care for more than 15 years, will own and operate the facility. The Fanwood, N.J.-based business plans to open in September.

Rounding up

Through Aug. 27, Bi-Lo customers can round up their purchase to the nearest dollar or make a donation of their choice at the register to support the American Heart Association’s fundraising campaign “Life Is Why We Give.”

Tuning in

A new music venue is now open in downtown Charleston.

Forte Jazz Lounge can be found at 475 King St. in the former Pure Theater site, according to a statement from the performance venue.

Cameras for cash

Old camera equipment and film can be exchanged for cash at a West Ashley shop Friday and Saturday.

AccuPhotoLab & Studio will host Used Photo Pro’s buyer of cameras, film, tripods, light systems and other gear 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at 1757-A Savannah Highway.

Also, Peachtree Camera will be on hand to clean and align camera lenses for a fee.

Rolling in

A Charleston man who developed a new wagon to haul supplies to the beach will showcase his wares at the new Yeti store in downtown Charleston during Second Sunday on King Street this weekend.

After five years and several prototypes, John McCollum created the Chuck Wagon to transport everything beachcombers need.

Yeti is located at 360 King St. Second Sunday runs 1-5 p.m., when King is closed to vehicular traffic from Calhoun to Queen street.