Charleston City Paper 10/06/2023 - 27.10

Coburg Cow’s caretaker relies on ‘gut feeling’ to make storm decision

‘Zombie drug’

xylazine leads to sharp rise in local deaths

Fulfill

Champagne wishes, caviar dreams at The Den

Comic Bates to open comedy club in North Charleston

Photography by Rūta Smith

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‘Zombie drug’ xylazine leads to sharp rise in local deaths

By Lily Levin

The Charleston County Coroner’s Office (CCCO) began finding an unusual drug in autopsies of 2020 overdose victims: a commonly used veterinary sedative called xylazine.

The drug was present in six county-wide deaths that year. In 2022, that number had increased to 38 — a 500% jump over two years.

Since January, there have been 18 xylazine-related deaths, but the number may grow as results of pending investigations arrive. The county, said Forensic Analyst and Deputy Coroner Dr. Suzanne Abel, is on track in 2023 to reach 2022’s number of overdose deaths — and perhaps exceed it.

‘Zombie drug’

Xylazine, which goes by the street name “tranq,” is also known as the “zombie drug.” A quick search through Google will yield countless graphic photographs of one particularly chilling side effect — rotting, wounded skin.

Xylazine can act as a central nervous system depressant, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). It mimics the effects of many opioids.

“It’s an adulterant,” Abel said, and “it increases the duration of the high” when mixed with a stimulant like cocaine or an opioid like fentanyl. But Marc Burrows, president of the South Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition (SCHRC), said it hasn’t really seen anyone using xylazine for these reasons — or intentionally at all.

“Xylazine doesn’t seem desirable,” he said. “It’s a way for cartels to be able to traffic lesser amounts of fentanyl. It can kind of trick the user a little bit to make it seem

The Rundown

Walker named new Charleston police chief

Interim Chief of Charleston Police

Chito Walker will be Charleston’s new police chief, Mayor John Tecklenburg announced Wednesday.

Walker, a 23-year veteran of the department, took the job as interim chief July 13 after the death of late Chief Luther Reynolds. Charleston City Council is expected to confirm his appointment during its Tuesday meeting.

“I look forward to continuing to work alongside the remarkable men and women of our department to build trust, promote transparency and keep our community safe,” Walker said in a statement. —Skyler Baldwin

Inglis says GOP should grow up

like it’s a stronger opioid.” Cartels do this because xylazine is cheap and easier to get than fentanyl, Burrows told the Charleston City Paper. Abel added it’s not a controlled substance — even though the DEA is working to make it one.

Burrows warned against this prohibitive strategy, however, citing it as contributing to the ongoing drug epidemic: “This is what happens when you squeeze down and put pressure on the drug supply.”

He spoke of how the DEA pressured doctors to stop prescribing painkillers at the height of the opioid crisis, with “no contingency plan.” This move, Burrows added, forced countless opioid-dependent patients to find their medication elsewhere, often on the street due to cost and access — a much riskier endeavor. For example, Burrows said, fentanyl is not harmful when prescribed with safety precautions for severe pain by an experienced medical provider, but “unregulated fentanyl is what kills people.”

Testing drug compounds

So what’s next? “Anytime there’s something like this, the hardest part is getting places to test for it,” Burrows said.

Charleston County is ahead of the curve, according to Abel, because it “was one of the first counties in the Southeast to document the presence of xylazine in toxicological analysis.” Still, xylazine deaths are “criminally underreported,” especially in counties that may not be as well-funded as Charleston, she added.

Test strips are another way of identifying xylazine-positive drug compounds, Burrows said, but only about “four groups

“I’ve been gone from Congress for more than 10 years now, and here’s my advice to the sitting members: Ten years from now, you’ll be embarrassed that you cavalierly threatened to shut down the government or to refuse to pay its debts. You’ll be embarrassed by overwrought pronouncements about the evil of the other side.”

—Former U.S. Rep. Bob Inglis, R-S.C., in The New York Times , Oct. 2, 2023

GUN VIOLENCE COUNTER

6 killed, 6 others shot Sept. 27 to Oct. 3

across the state have been [distributing them] slowly in the last couple months.”

“Xylazine overdoses present a challenge primarily due to the scarcity of toxicology data related to overdose survivors,” said Charleston County Police Department spokesperson Anthony Gibson. “Furthermore, as xylazine is not classified as an opioid and is unresponsive to Narcan, we typically lack specific information on xylazine-related overdoses that do not

Hanahan police are investigating the murders of two brothers found dead Sept. 30. Meanwhile, North Charleston detectives this month arrested three men, including a 16-year-old boy, for murder, in three recent separate shootings.

S.C. shootings: Four others died in Richland and Beaufort counties. Six others were hurt in Charleston, Beaufort and Lexington counties. Mass shootings: Twelve mass shootings in the U.S., totaling 531 for the year.

Source: gunviolencearchive.org; S.C. official and media reports.

Burrows

“

Xylazine doesn’t seem desirable. It’s a way for cartels to be able to traffic lesser amounts of fentanyl. It can kind of trick the user a little bit to make it seem like it’s a stronger opioid.”

—Marc Burrows

Getty Images

Xylazine is an injectable drug used by veterinarians

Powder Magazine searching for diverse colonial-era stories

By Herb Frazier

In a historical first, the Powder Magazine Museum on Cumberland Street next year will present detailed stories of people other than literate white men who lived in the Charleston area during the American Revolution.

The stories will lead to a broader understanding of the city’s history during the revolution era that began in 1773 with the Charleston Tea Party protest and ended with the 1783 Treaty of Paris that halted the war, said the museum’s director Katherine Pemberton.

The work will primarily focus on what daily life was like from 1780 to 1782 during the British occupation for free people of color, enslaved people, patriot sympathizers, loyalists, the British military and Native Americans, she said.

“The intent is to capture as many stories as we can in a short period of time. We will probably end up with more research that needs to be done,” she said with a laugh.

It is the first-ever research to reveal what happened after people who lived here when Charleston fell to the British. Hundreds of people, Blacks and whites, were evacuated to New York and later Nova Scotia, Canada. Among them were the Black Loyalists who fought on the British side.

Pemberton said an American online archive includes the story of 12-yearold Charles Morris, who was enslaved in Charleston and was among the people in April 1783 who made it to Halifax.

The exodus story, however, does not

Blotter of the Week

of the Black soldiers’ role in the American Revolution and what life

in Charleston for free people of color, enslaved people,

loyalists

include Harry, an enslaved man who spied for the British. Harry was sent to gather intelligence near Moncks Corner in November 1782, but he was captured, then beheaded.

Butler Preservation has been hired to scour American and British archives for “the positive and negative aspects of the occupation [to] provide vignettes of the experiences of diverse residents,” Pemberton said.

Christina Rae Butler, chair of general education at the American College of the Building Arts in Charleston, is doing the research. Butler said her husband, Dr. Nic Butler, historian of the Charleston County Library, is searching records in the United Kingdom.

“Where possible, the discussion will include reference to faith,” Christina Butler said. “However, few people when referencing their war experience mentioned their religious belief. They were more

focused on trying to get their property back or being compensated for war loss.”

Pemberton said when the report is completed, it will be placed on the museum’s website, become part of a lecture series and be used to create traveling exhibits. “We want to make it widely available,” she added.

In 2026, the nation will observe the 250th observance of the American Revolution.

The research in Charleston began earlier this year after the museum and the National Society of the Colonial Dames in The State of South Carolina (NSCDA-SC) received a $20,000 grant from the South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission (SC250).

Judge shutters troubled Charleston charter school

From staff reports

Troubled alternative public charter school Charleston Advancement Academy (CAA) has been caught in a legal fight to hold onto its charter since January of this year, but the state administrative law court’s latest order may be the final nail in the school’s coffin.

Chief Administrative Law Judge Ralph King Anderson II on Sept. 26 ordered the school to “immediately cease and desist all operations as a public charter school. … CAA, its board and administration are prohibited from spending any further public

Someone apparently scammed a West Ashley woman Sept. 18 out of $8,724 after she received a phone call from a person claiming to be with the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, according to Charleston police. The scammer reportedly told her that he had a warrant for her arrest, and to avoid prison, she needed to send him thousands of dollars in Bitcoin. Remember everyone: The real cops like cash.

Welcome home

A Mount Pleasant family on Sept. 27 told Mount Pleasant police a credit card had been stolen and used during a 10-day vacation. The alleged thief racked up more than $5,000 in charges between several Lowcountry department stores, hotels, restaurants and an auto parts store. Well, we hope the vacation was nice, at least.

Practical advice

A West Ashley man working at a Mary Ader Avenue gas station reportedly stole about $20 of merchandise between Sept. 7 and Sept. 20, according to a Charleston police report. Responding officers reportedly advised that the man should just be fired, and that a full investigation may not be warranted. No kidding.

By Skyler Baldwin Illustration by Steve Stegelin

The Blotter is taken from reports filed with area police departments between Sept. 18 and Sept. 27.

The NSCDA-SC owns the Powder Magazine, constructed in 1713. It is the oldest public building in South Carolina.

Chelsea Grinstead

photo

court in August lifted the stay that allowed Charleston Advancement Academy to stay open after June 30

Illustration by Jean Baptiste Antoine DeVerger, 1781 New research by the Powder Magazine Museum next year may reveal more

was like

patriot sympathizers,

(illustrated above), the British military and Native Americans

money, whether state or federal, directly or indirectly except as required to comply with this order.”

Anderson also ordered CAA to assist in enrolling the school’s students elsewhere as soon as possible, and said failure to comply would result in CAA being held in contempt of court.

The school’s website on Oct. 4 said it was closed “until further notice,” a hint that it appears to have one lifeline left in a separate case with the S.C. Supreme Court.

The South Carolina Public Charter School District’s (SCPCSD) board of trustees voted Jan. 19 to revoke CAA’s charter, citing deficient academic performance and questionable financial structure based on state law requirements. The school was to finish the 2022-23 school year and close effective July 1.

The school, however, appealed the district’s decision in two ways — administratively to Anderson’s court and via a separate lawsuit. The state Court of Appeals on June 30 granted a stay to the school, allowing it to remain open while the revocation was under scrutiny. The stay was lifted Aug. 31 at the request of the district and state Department of Education, which then ordered the school to close immediately. The school, however, continued to operate without a valid charter until Anderson’s Sept. 26 order.

The S.C. Court of Appeals on Aug. 31 dismissed the separate lawsuit, ruling against CAA. The school then petitioned

for a rehearing, which was denied on Sept. 7. The school’s final route to hold onto its charter, which would allow it to reopen to students: the state Supreme Court. It received the school’s petition for a writ of certiorari on Sept. 26 and assigned the case a number.

“I continue to be befuddled by the actions of the [SCPCSD] board and personnel in this matter,” CAA director Gary Burgess wrote in a Sept. 26 email to SCPCSD Superintendent Chris Neeley. “I am a person of faith, and I do believe that when you hurt people because you sit in a place of authority (sic) at some point you will be held to account.”

Burgess also sent the email to all CAA personnel.

As of Oct. 4, it is unknown whether students will be able to transfer course credits or test scores achieved after the school’s charter was revoked. As of Sept. 26, there were 196 students enrolled in CAA with another 25 wanting to enroll, according to a Sept. 26 email sent to Neeley and Anderson by CAA assistant director Carrie Tucker. At least 100 courses were completed by students since June 30, she wrote, and 109 students are more than 50% through current courses. Five students have met graduation requirements since June 30.

CAA operated as an alternative charter high school targeting at-risk students who had difficulty finding success at traditional schools. The average age of students enrolled in CAA was over 18, making it difficult for students to transfer back to home schools in their district.

COUNTRY ON THE CREEK

LOCAL COUNTRY ARTISTS EVERY THURSDAY

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

result in fatalities.”

Chanda Funcell, director of an addiction treatment facility named Charleston Center, said the organization is finally getting the support necessary to distribute test strips alongside Narcan (generic name, naloxone) — a medication administered to someone showing symptoms of an opioid overdose — to patients.

Even though Narcan doesn’t reduce the effects of xylazine, it should always be administered in the event of a suspected overdose, Funcell said, because the substance ingested often also contains an opioid. In August, the Charleston County Emergency Medical Services began a “Leave Behind” program, which equips family members and friends of overdose victims with Narcan and trains them how to use it.

Overdose prevention and harm reduction

Burrows said he wants to see the conversation move beyond xylazine testing — and toward the question of “Now, what do we do?”

One strategy is looking at the root of

the issue. Drug use is predicated by social determinants of health, Abel said, which include education access, support system, family life and medical care, including mental health.

Harm reduction messaging — including drug user health education, Burrows said — is also extremely important. It might look like xylazine-specific safety tips and overdose prevention, Burrows told the City Paper For instance, because xylazine often results in heightened drowsiness, an individual should try to avoid using before getting behind the wheel and ensure proper blood circulation.

Another essential harm reduction mechanism is accessible medical care for users who might develop soft tissue wounds, Burrows said. He also recommended drug-checking, which is when users will “take a sample of the drug supply” and send “to a laboratory to … to see what’s actually in [it]. It’s really empowering for the user and the community” to make informed decisions.

Funcell

Keep pressure on Charleston school board for transparency, openness, good governance

ust four of nine members of the Charleston County School District Board of Trustees seem to understand they live in a democracy, not an autocracy. The five others, fueled by the support of the right-wing Moms for Liberty (M4L) group, need to take a refresher course on civics so they can understand they work for everyone, not just a group labeled “extremist” by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Ever since the M4L Five took control of the school board after the 2022 elections, school governance has been in chaos. Public meetings are run poorly. Despite rhetoric, decisions about school curricula seem measured against a narrow political agenda, not what’s best for students. Controversy and leaks pockmarked the decision on hiring a new superintendent. And three months after Eric Gallien was hired, the M4L Five voted to put him on administrative leave to investigate some unknown complaint kept secret from the public.

This board is too quick to jump into private executive session — often illegally — to have discussions that likely should be in public. As we’ve written before, state law does not require any public body ever to enter into a secret session.

All of this painful controversy, lack of leadership and secrecy has caused a crisis of confidence in those elected to set policy and a future course for local public schools. The four trustees in the minority appear to be trying to do the right thing but are hamstrung by the recalcitrant M4L Five who keep a pointed iron grip on what’s happening.

But a backlash is bubbling. It first came last week when 16 courageous high school principals wrote a direct letter expressing “profound disappointment” in the board, essentially asking it to grow up and govern in the interests of Charleston County students.

CHARLESTON CHECKLIST

of community objectives

We encourage community leaders to act on these audacious priorities:

Then came similar letters of dismay from another 55 elementary and middle school principals.

This week, the four trustees in the minority called for the majority faction to rescind its vote putting Gallien on administrative leave. State lawmakers asked the state’s attorney general, governor and inspector general to start looking into the growing leadership dysfunction.

“The school district needs to follow the law,” Gov. Henry McMaster, a former state attorney general, said Oct. 3. “The Freedom of Information Act is very clear. Everybody ought to follow the law. … They ought to give the information out and give it out fairly quickly. It does not look to me like the school board has done that.”

Also on Oct. 3, Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg called on the board to have a public meeting to explain what’s going on and start mending fences brought on by factionalism.

And activists called on parents and citizens to write school board members to let them know what they think of this mess. Write them. Here are the email addresses of each of the trustees with those in the M4L majority highlighted with an asterisk:

* Pam McKinney, chair: pamela_mckinney@charleston.k12.sc.us

* Carlotte Bailey: carlotte_bailey@charleston.k12.sc.us

Daron Lee Calhoun II: daron_calhoun@charleston.k12.sc.us

* Keith Grybowski: keith_grybowski@charleston.k12.sc.us

* Ed Kelley: edward_kelley@charleston.k12.sc.us

Darlene Dunmeyer-Roberson: darlene_roberson@charleston.k12.sc.us

Carol Tempel: carol_tempel@charleston.k12.sc.us

Courtney Waters: courtney_waters@charleston.k12.sc.us

* Leah Whatley: leah_whatley@charleston.k12.sc.us

1. Deal with the water. Build a strong resiliency plan to harden infrastructure and make smart climate change decisions about development, 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.

Smalls’ Civil War exploits unknown decades ago

By Herb Frazier

We loaded the sousaphones, bass drums and smaller band instruments into the belly of two Greyhound buses and then left Charleston for a half-time performance during a football game at Robert Smalls High School in Beaufort.

At sunset, 60 members of the Charles A. Brown High School Marching Band, dressed in black uniforms adorned with gold epaulets and buttons, stepped onto the Robert Smalls campus.

I was one of those excited and impressive-looking musicians in the fall of 1964 on that road trip to an all-Black high school I thought was named for a white man like our school, C.A. Brown.

Decades later, I learned that South Carolina’s segregated school system denied me and other Black students the lesson that Beaufort native Robert Smalls, an enslaved man, was a Civil War hero.

Smalls’ actions thrust him into the annals of history and politics after he, his men and their families escaped Charleston Harbor on May 13, 1862, with a steamer, the Planter.

Smalls skillfully masqueraded as the ship’s white captain to smuggle the Planter out of the harbor to give it to the blockcading Union Navy. Smalls made the early morning run past the harbor’s Confederate fortifications seem even more credible by giving the proper whistle signals.

The daring escape will be told on stage Oct. 6 at the Charleston Gaillard Center in the world premiere of the play Finding Freedom: The Journey of Robert Smalls. It’s the first-ever original theatrical production presented by the Gaillard, the city’s premier performance venue that would not have had the courage in the 1960s to tell this story in a segregated Charleston.

The Gaillard said through this production the venue “will once again open its doors to the Charleston community to acknowledge America’s difficult history of race and slavery using the arts to bridge divides and build dialogue in a city that historically saw some of the first enslaved men, women and children enter through its port.”

When I was a C.A. Brown student, our teachers likely didn’t know the Robert Smalls story. “I knew the name of the school, but I didn’t know the history of that name,” 90-year-old George Kenny of Charleston, the school’s former band director, said recently. “Black history was not taught in the schools,” he said. “If I didn’t know that then how much more didn’t I know of the history of Charleston and South Carolina?”

Smalls’ inspiring story is worthy to be told in as many venues as possible, but he was not the first enslaved man to escape with a vessel under under Confederate command.

About two hours after midnight on April 28, 1862, less than a month before Smalls’ escape, an unexpected sight appeared. A barge detached to Gen. Roswell S. Ripley, the Confederate Army’s commander in Charleston, was about to become the property of the Union Navy.

The enslaved crew of the rebel boat later described the Confederate defenses in the waterways. They told how blockade runners sneaked through enemy lines, and they reported that two wooden gunboats were under construction but no ironclad boats patrolled the harbor.

The transfer of Ripley’s barge has been overshadowed by Smalls’ and his crew’s great feat less than a month later, said Russell Horres, a retired Mount Pleasant independent researcher. When Horres was in high school in the 1960s, he was taught from the Southern perspective Smalls was a villain. “He was the bad guy until we understood he was seeking his freedom, and the whole scheme was dangerous,” he said. “They put their lives at risk.”

I am looking forward to seeing that dramatic moment in the play when Smalls, his crew and their families sailed to freedom. But if you go to the play, remember Smalls’ great achievement came after Allen Davis, Gabriel and their comrades also risked their lives to escape with Ripley’s barge.

Longtime journalist

Herb Frazier is the City Paper’s senior projects editor. Have a comment? Send to: feedback@ charleston citypaper.com.

Smalls’ inspiring story is worthy to be told in as many venues as possible, but he was not the first enslaved man to escape with a vessel under Confederate command.

Coburg Cow’s caretaker relies on ‘gut feeling’ to make storm decision

By Skyler Baldwin

hen Lowcountry skies darken and the wind starts picking up, plenty of newcomers are quick to start packing their bags. But for those in the know, nobody really moves before asking the most important question:

“Is the cow still up?”

Yes, the Coburg Cow, which sits atop a 10-foot raised platform at 901 Savannah Hwy. in West Ashley, is often recognized as Charleston’s top weather forecaster. Ahead of particularly bad weather, and especially wind, the cow comes down. Its disappearance is a very visible cue for locals to get out of Dodge — or at least batten down the hatches.

“People just started noticing,” said West Ashley real estate agent Charlie Smith. “It’s like seeing Jim Cantore on The Weather Channel. We usually stay during most storms, but if I ever saw Jim out there taking the cow down, I’d get the hell out of town.”

Chief Meteorologist for WCSC TV Bill Walsh added that he tells people during storm broadcasts whether the cow is up or down.

“People watch the weather on TV,” he said. “They get information about it from their apps and from the newspaper. But sometimes, the most reach for a storm coming is the Coburg Cow and whether it’s gone or not. I love looking at it.”

The cow rose to prominence first in 1959 to advertise the then-local Coburg Dairy, founded in 1920. But the cow, known affectionately as “Bessie,” remained in place after dairy operations moved to North Charleston in 1990. Originally a plastic cow rotating at the entrance of the dairy, the cow has undergone several changes — eventually being replaced by wooden and now fiberglass versions. Its tail has long been a target of vandalism, and people have been known to climb on top and ride Bessie before barriers were put in place.

“Two of the tails have been ripped off,” said the Custodian of the Cow, who prefers to remain nameless so city folk don’t bug him to death when a storm is approaching.

“The current cow — the tail is fiberglass and molded into the body. In the past they would hang down like a real tail, but people would go over and yank them off. It wasn’t easy to fix.”

Rūta Smith

Photos courtesy Custodian of the Cow

The Custodian of the Cow has five cows in total, including the red and green holiday Coburg Cow

The man behind the cow

The Custodian has about five cows in total, though only two actually go up nowadays, he told the Charleston City Paper during a conversation that some might characterize as guarded or even “top secret.” One version is brown and white and features a bottle of chocolate milk. A red-painted cow advertises egg-nog each winter.

“I’ve always taken care of it one way or another,” he said. “It was in 1987 or so that I started making the decision to leave the cow up or take it down during storms.”

He explained the “complicated” decisionmaking process, which isn’t full of modern spreadsheets, dew points, computer graphics, one-upmanship from TV stations or the hurricane guru Cantore.

“I just watch the weather and make a gut call,” he explained, adding that sometimes he calls a buddy who used to work with the Air Force Weather Division for advice. “A few years ago, I yanked the cow down because I knew it was going to be a doublehitter [storm] … but people started raising hell about me pulling the damn cow down for no reason. Two days later, a major storm came through.”

Other times, it’s the opposite. The most recent example being Hurricane Idalia, which made landfall in Florida earlier this year and moved across Georgia to hit Charleston as a big blow of a tropical storm.

“My wife and I were on vacation, and I was watching the weather,” the Custodian said. “I was getting phone calls, and everybody on the internet is saying, ‘The cow’s down,’ so I started worrying that maybe the cow was ‘down-down,’ as in, fell down. I got ahold of family who told me it was still up. Well, I checked the weather again, and I knew even if it came in, it wasn’t going to be a bad storm, so I just made the call to leave it up.

“I was like, ‘Leave me the hell alone, people. It’s not even a bad storm!’ ” he added,

What does the cow say?

The position of Bessie, the Coburg Cow, can be an indicator for area residents as to the estimated severity of approaching major storms:

THE COW IS UP ON THE SIGN

The approaching storm IS NOT going to be a large threat to Charleston.

THE COW IS DOWN OFF THE SIGN

The approaching storm IS going to be a large threat to Charleston.

THE COW IS ACROSS THE STREET

The storm was a much greater threat than envisioned.

laughing. “I was getting Facebook messages, and I said, ‘I don’t want to deal with this.’ All of my friends know I take care of the cow, of course, but I don’t want everyone knowing.”

In the winter of 2016, the Custodian said he made the decision to pull the cow down ahead of a particularly bad storm coming in, but he couldn’t find a crew to remove it.

“I went out with a tractor and a lifter with some long boards on it, and my brother and I took it down ourselves,” he said. “We were just laughing the whole time, saying, ‘I can’t believe we got this cow down with this rig.’ Why it didn’t fall off and we didn’t break it, I don’t know.”

Not just a warning sign

The Coburg Cow isn’t just an omen of stormy weather. Even when the skies are clear, passersby have plenty of reasons to look up, especially around the holidays.

“It’s fun,” the Custodian said. “My wife and I decorate it up as much as we can.”

A few years ago, a blue calf even showed up next to the cow to supposedly commemorate the birth of a baby in the Hanckel family, the original owners of the Coburg Dairy.

“It’s the sense of humor,” said longtime West Ashley resident Joan Perry. “They bother to dress it up for events and holidays. I’ve seen it with a graduation cap. … And when all the lights are on, it’s a real landmark.”

In fact, Google Maps has its own listing of the Coburg Cow, characterizing it as a landmark complete with Yelp reviews.

“It’s always been beloved,” Smith said. “I remember when I was in college, the boys would get drunk and go ride the cow. It was a rite of passage.”

He added the suburb used to have more tall signs.

“They’re all gone now, except for the Coburg Cow, because it was landmarked at some point. It really came into prominence as the sole survivor — all that signage being gone now due to newer height restrictions. The whole landscape of West Ashley changed literally overnight. It was very strange, but the cow stayed. It’s one of the few things of any historical value we’ve been able to save in West Ashley, and people appreciate that.”

*Just joking, this hasn’t happened to date.

Weathering other cow-tastrophes

Literal storms haven’t been the only threats to the Coburg Cow’s legacy, however. Having been up for more than half a century, it’s had its fair share of scares, beginning with Coburg’s relocation to North Charleston in 1990.

Coburg Dairy changed hands several times after its relocation, having been first bought in 1998 by Dean Foods, the largest dairy company in the United States at the time. Dean was later bought out by Suiza Dairy, a Puerto Rican brand. Eventually, the local dairy was sold to an investment group and was finally bought by Borden Dairy, which had operations in South Carolina, in 2011.

The cow survived all of the changing of hands, and representatives from Borden reportedly vowed to keep the cow in place. But Borden shuttered its South Carolina operations in 2022, giving locals another cow-tastrophe to fear.

Thankfully, the cow held fast yet again. The Custodian has even started repainting the collection, replacing the Borden iconography with the original Coburg logos once again.

“It’s important to have a sense of place,” Smith said. “The cow has been a meeting place for people for I don’t know how long. I’ve told people to meet me at the Coburg Cow so many times I’ve lost track.

“If it can literally weather the storms … it’s just a successful historic preservation story for West Ashley.”

Charleston City Paper

Photos courtesy Custodian of the Cow

The Custodian, along with his brother, once took the Coburg Cow down with no crew to help ahead of a storm. Their success came as a surprise, he said.

What To Do

SATURDAY

IOP Run and Walk for the Child

Challenge yourself and a few buddies to run or walk the Isle of Palms (IOP) connector to join the fight against child abuse in the Lowcountry. Start on IOP, then make your way across the connector while enjoying the views of local creeks and marshes. A festival with live music, free beer, a kids area and cash prizes will greet you as you finish the race. Participants can register online through Oct. 6 or in person on the day of the race.

Oct. 7. 8 a.m. Registration prices vary. Isle of Palms. 1114 Pavillion Drive. Isle of Palms. ioprun.com

SUNDAY

Latin American Festival

Celebrate Charleston’s vibrant Latin and Caribbean cultures at the annual Latin American Festival. There will be fantastic music, including salsa and merengue performed by several live artists, plus authentic food such as empanadas and arroz con pollo. To keep little ones entertained, Charleston County Public Library will host a kids’ educational area where they can learn more about Latin culture.

Oct. 8. noon to 5 p.m. Ticket prices vary. North Charleston Wannamaker County Park. 8888 University Blvd. North Charleston. ccprc.com/1799/Latin-American-Festival

WEDNESDAYS

Disney trivia tournament

FRIDAY

Rocky Horror Picture Show : Monster Mash

2 3 4 5 1

It’s The Addams Family versus The Munsters during the Terrace Theater’s special Monster Mash-themed Rocky Horror Picture Show screening. The local theater will team up with Charleston’s Absent Friends to throw the mash, which will include a drag show before the screening and a full shadow cast. Guilty Pleasures will provide a prize for the costume/cosplay contest and freebies for the audience. There will also be a pop-up market with all kinds of spooky and freaky goodies.

Oct. 6. 10 p.m. $18. Terrace Theater. 1956D Maybank Hwy. James Island. terracetheater.com

Test your Disney knowledge this month at INK Charleston’s weekly Disney Trivia Tournament and Kitchen Takeover Series. For four weeks, teams of two to six people compete weekly to gain the most points. At the end of the four weeks, the team with the most accumulated points will receive a $1,000 cash prize. Each week will feature a different theme and a different cuisine. Proceeds from the event benefit Be A Mentor, an organization that connects positive role models with youth in the Lowcountry.

Oct. 11. 7 p.m. $10 per team. INK Charleston. 565 King St. Downtown. citypapertickets.com

THURSDAY

Mad Hatter party

Take a tumble down the rabbit hole and join The Charleston Museum for a Mad Hatter party showcasing a special Wonderland-themed exhibit. Carolina Cocktails will provide drinks, including a special “Drink Me” cocktail, and guests can enjoy light bites and fun photo opportunities. Purchase tickets beforehand and bring a hat to decorate.

Oct. 12. 6 p.m. Ticket prices vary. The Charleston Museum. 360 Meeting St. Downtown. charlestonmuseum.org

Digs

McMullen grounds tattooing inspiration in experience

By Lily Levin

Ashley B. McMullen’s new Summerville studio, Fade to Black Tattoo, is reminiscent of a 1980s maximalist wonderland of cheetah prints, loud colors and rhinestones. As McMullen, whose artist name is “Ashley B.,” puts it, the shop mimics the style of a quintessential “Jewish New York woman” — or her mother.

“My mom is one of my major inspirations for tattooing, because she’s alway been supportive,” McMullen said while seated comfortably in a black leather chair in the waiting room, taking a break from unpacking the finishing touches of her North Maple Street studio, the first female-owned shop of its kind in the Charleston area.

Her home, where she lives with her boyfriend, has a clean look of “mid-century modern,” but all of her “hectic” stuff is in the studio — the place where she said she feels most inspired.

Fade to Black Tattoo takes its name from one of McMullen’s longtime inspirations. It’s the title of a song by Metallica, a band she got into because of her first mentor. (And wherever she goes, McMullen carries with her a reminder — the “fade to black” tattoo on her lower leg.)

In essence, her entire studio is the product of 16 years of tattooing experience and dedicated, relentless passion.

Focused practice and important lessons

An obsession with tattoos started during McMullen’s senior year of high school in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. She noticed an older friend’s new tattoo and began accompanying the friend to tattoo shops. Then, she got a few tattoos herself — and became engrossed in the entire experience. Eventually, she became an apprentice who tattooed other patrons, “and I never stopped hanging out,” she said.

“Things don’t really work like this anymore,” McMullen said of her initial training. “My first mentor passed away of an overdose, so I had to find another place to work. And then that guy didn’t really teach me anything. My third apprenticeship, they sent me off into tattooing immediately.”

McMullen moved to Charleston eight years ago from her hometown of Saratoga Springs, N.Y. At first, she didn’t plan to be here for long. “Then I ended up staying because, like, why the heck not?” she said, laughing.

Most recently, she spent a year working at Holy City Tattooing Collective in West Ashley. “And the owner, Jason, he’s like my older brother.” McMullen also felt like Jason took the role of her best friend and her mentor. “He’s the one that basically taught me the

Best of Charleston 2022 Best Tattoo Artist Ashley B. McMullen opened her own private studio in October

most [about tattooing],” she said.

At Holy City, she learned an important practice: taking her time.

“I think the pressure to tattoo every single person who comes in the door is a real thing,” she said. And while working at a street shop, which accepted walk-ins, earlier in her career, there were “a lot of times where I just felt like a machine,” she added.

This constant labor also meant that McMullen wasn’t forming relationships with her customers — an aspect of tattooing she said she deeply values. “I was just churning and burning. But that’s pretty common in street shops because, like, people get greedy.”

Despite the negatives of this experience, McMullen told the Charleston City Paper that “everyone [who is entering the tattoo business] should work at a street shop” — as opposed to Fade to Black Tattoo, a private studio that only takes appointments — because “sometimes you just gotta say yes for a while.”

On the other hand, though, “know when you’re burnt out and when it’s time to stop,” she advised.

The Lowdown

ASHLEY B. MCMULLEN

Age: 36.

Birthplace: Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Past professions of interest: Drawing and painting.

Pets: I have three chihuahuas, and there’s always room for more.

Something people would be surprised to learn about you: I love to sing! My boyfriend and I initially bonded on emo music and harmonizing.

Favorite thing to do outside of work: “Exercise. Firm visitor of The Works downtown; it has changed my life.”

Books on bedside table: The Four Agreements, on audio of course. “My ADHD can’t handle a book without wondering what’s for dinner the whole time.”

Favorite food to eat: “I’m a carb monster! But basically addicted to the specials at The Royal American.”

Favorite food to cook: “I love baking. Cookies and treats.”

Favorite cocktail or beverage: “JAGER BOMBS (in a Jersey accent).”

Foods you always need in your refrigerator: Eggs, cottage cheese, that processed white cheese in the plastic and grapes.

Three people (alive or dead) you’d like to dine with: Lady Gaga, Peter Steele and The Eisenberg.

What meal would you want served to you for your last supper: Korean corn dogs or cereal.

Guilty pleasures: Twenty One Pilots, Hanson and Diet Coke.

Describe your best day in 50 words or less: “I start by waking up and then staying in bed all day, Uber eats to the door like a gremlin then ending the day with a sweet treat and a movie with my boyfriend and dogs.

Childhood hero: Whitney Houston

Pet peeve: “People who grew up rich and use the term ‘self made.’ ”

Photos by Rūta Smith McMullen’s shop is fun and comfortable for guests and furry friends

Many S.C. parks created during the depression

By Toni Reale, special to City Paper

Fall is the perfect time to venture out to one of South Carolina’s beautiful state parks. The Palmetto State boasts a wide range of flora, fauna and geology to experience. From the mountains to the piedmont to the coast, there’s something for everyone within a short drive of home. Of our 47 state parks, members of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built or improved 16 parks between 1933 and 1942.

The CCC was a part of the New Deal signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933 to combat the staggering 25% unemployment rate for all men during the Great Depression. This voluntary work program for single men between the ages of 17 to 28 provided an opportunity to earn money, travel and be of service to the country through meaningful hard work. Although the program was intended for all men to serve, camps were segregated by color after much protest by Southern states.

Before he was president, Roosevelt created a state version of the CCC as New York’s governor. It proved to be wildly popular. He believed a nationwide CCC would not only help dig families out of poverty in hard economic times, but empower men to find new meaning and possibly a new career. The work, Roosevelt thought, would enable Americans — no matter their economic status — to get closer to nature and alleviate many societal problems.

Corps members helped with a wide range of projects, including reforestation, building dams, erosion prevention, constructing fire towers, enhancing trails and building park infrastructure. Enrollees had their food, housing and medical care covered in exchange for $30 a month, of which they had to send $25 home to help their families.

In the evenings, most camps offered educational opportunities. Ninety percent of all enrollees participated in these learning opportunities over the course of the program, with more than 40,000 illiterate men being taught to read and write. Should a CCC member decide to join the military, he could enter at a higher rank. Many men went on to do great things because of their foundation in the CCC.

One such man was Park Circle resident Michelle Long’s grandfather, Thomas B. Long Sr., who quit school in eighth grade to help support his family. He jumped at the opportunity to join the CCC, and after helping build Edisto Beach State

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

The process of opening a studio

McMullen has already successfully navigated many of the challenges involved in having her own tattoo studio: those associated with opening it.

The first step was “finding a building that’s 1,000 feet from a church, school playground, daycare, retirement home and potentially neighborhood, depending on the county,” McMullen told the City Paper Then, “you have to put it in the paper to see if anyone wants to contest your opening.”

Her friend Jason was a big help throughout the process, she said, which also involved getting permits from the city

Park, he joined the Navy and became a diver who repaired ships during World War II. Following the war, he came back home to work at the Charleston Naval Shipyard. Through the CCC, Thomas created a future for himself and his family that would likely not have been possible otherwise.

As economic conditions began to improve during the early 1940s, enrollment dropped because men were able to find higher paying jobs closer to home. Low enrollment coupled with men volunteering and getting drafted for World War II led the CCC program to end in 1942.

In the first two years of the CCC program’s success, the U.S. Park Service estimates that the value of work completed in State Parks alone generator over $27 million and 20 years of advancements in park development. More than 3 million men went through that program and planted over 3 billion trees, built over 3,000 fire tires and made countless other contributions to our national and state parks. During one of the hardest times in our nation’s history, leaders turned to investing in preserving our natural resources for generations to come.

The following are state parks built with support from the CCC. I encourage you to get a state park pass and enjoy the fruits of previous generations’ labor:

Aiken State Park

Barnwell State Park

Cheraw State Park

Chester State Park

Edisto Beach State Park

Givhans Ferry State Park

Hunting Island State Park

Kings Mountain State Park

Lake Greenwood State Park

Lee State Park

Myrtle Beach State Park

Oconee State Park

Paris Mountain State Park

Poinsett State Park

Sesquicentennial State Park

Table Rock State Park

Toni Reale is the owner of Roadside Blooms, a unique flower, plant, crystal, rock and fossil shop in Park Circle in North Charleston. Formerly a geology Instructor at the College of Charleston for over a decade, she still remains passionate about environmental issues and interesting topics in science and nature. roadsidebloomsshop.com

And in my head, I’m like, [posted on] what? On Instagram?” she said, laughing sheepishly. “And Jason’s like, ‘f*cking put it on the wall!’ ”

and county. “When I was doing paperwork … it said it must be posted that you must be 18 [years old to receive a tattoo].

Now, the signage is posted adjacent to the front entrance, on par with the regulations. McMullen said she wants to take on her work slowly at the new studio to prevent creative burnout. She plans to take on more apprentices, she told the City Paper, in addition to the one she has right now. Moreover, she hopes that Fade to Black Tattoo can be a healthy space for people, “whether they work here or they hang out,” and inclusive of all races and genders. She envisions the tattoo studio extending beyond her and into its own community of patrons and artists. McMullen added, “[tattooing] is really hard, but the payoff is amazing.”

Reale

McMullen

Rūta Smith

Fade to Black Tattoo features eclectic decorations and classic arcade games

Cuisine

Fulfill Champagne wishes, caviar dreams at The Den

By Connelly Hardaway

While you may not be in the business of ordering caviar on your typical evening out, be ready to indulge in the good stuff at The Den, a luxe new bar tucked behind Frannie & The Fox. Formerly an underused event space, The Den is an intimate 30-seat lounge area which opened just a few weeks ago.

“We noticed there was a demand, not just for guests to dine, but also to have a drink and enjoy the ambience,” said Adam Jimenez, area general manager of food and beverage at Hotel Emeline. “We wanted to keep what was special about Frannie & The Fox and add an additional layer.”

The limited menu trends indulgent with libations featuring eight specialty martinis plus a variety of high-end bubbles. There’s the caviar service, of course, with the option to add caviar bumps (a dollop of caviar, for those unfamiliar with the term) to, well, anything.

Bar program manager Amanda Phelps, a self-proclaimed salinity lover, recommended the caviar addition for the full Den experience. “A little nibble of caviar then a sip of your martini is perfect,” she said.

A brief history

Clear liquor lovers have been sipping martinis since the late 19th century; according to Harry Johnson’s New and Improved Bartender’s Manual, the first martini was made with gin, vermouth, simple syrup, bitters and orange curacao.

In her recent New York Times article, writer Becky Hughes questioned the sanity of the martini, which in its modern incarnation — with the help of internet trends that ask drinkers to put just about anything in their cocktails — seems to stray ever further from that original recipe.

“Bizarre martinis are out in the real world, being served at real bars to real, paying customers,” wrote Hughes, citing caprese martinis, oyster mignonette martinis and even a squid ink martini.

While The Den’s martini menu doesn’t veer quite so bizarre, it has its share of playful takes on the classic cocktail, including the apple martini, made with green apple vodka, pineau des charentes, midori and housemade apple sour. And then there’s the Only Frans martini, made with Absolut vanilla vodka, guava, lime and Champagne jello. Needless to say, The Den doesn’t take itself too seriously.

If you want to drop caviar into your martini, no one’s going to stop you

manager Amanda Phelps is excited for ‘Fancy Fridays’ at The Den where ‘tenders will serve vintage and specialty Champagnes by the glass

No matter what drink or bite tickles your fancy, your well-versed bartenders will help you make the right choice — enthusiastically, no less. At a recent outing, a bartender proclaimed he was downright “pumped” about the classic martini service. His enthusiasm mirrored that of the cocktail experts interviewed in Hughes’ piece. As New York Magazine food editor Alan Sytsma said: “There’s the suggestion of elegance, there’s the ceremony of ordering one.”

Coupled with those classic drinks (and the tongue-in-cheek offerings, too), is that aforementioned option of adding martini bumps to any order. In July 2022, the NYT declared caviar bumps “all the rage,” and a Harper’s Bazaar piece noted that the trend of slurping fish eggs off one’s hand is “here to stay for a long time.”

And while The Den team probably hasn’t run the numbers of the effect of TikTok (#caviarbumps has over 3.8 billion views on the platform), they absolutely understand

Photos by J.B. McCabe Bar program

A former event space, The Den now features cozy velvet booths and atmospheric dark green tiles

the need to present The Den as both an enigmatic getaway and a familiar destination.

Stay a while

Phelps said the bar will soon feature dark curtains instead of doors, encouraging guests to peek inside to see what they may encounter. “It’s so intimate back here, but we still want people to know it’s here,” she said.

Jimenez also spoke to the hideaway nature of The Den (named after, you guessed it, a fox’s favorite place to get cozy): “I think there are many examples of bars that have created a sense of mystery while also being popular.”

On a recent Thursday evening at the spot, guests ranged from a group of colleagues grabbing drinks after work to couples bent close together in velvet-swathed booths.

While The Den’s food menu is limited, Phelps said Frannie’s menu isn’t totally off-limits. “We don’t offer the Frannie menu back here,” Phelps said. “But if people are adamant, it’s never a ‘no.’ We’re always in the business of saying ‘yes.’ Want a pizza? Have a pizza with your Champagne!”

The Den’s current food menu features popular Frannie dishes like the beef and pork meatballs with whipped ricotta and the blue crab fritters.

There are also several dishes exclusive to The Den, including the caviar service which comes with your choice of American Hackleback or California White Sturgeon, served with creme fraiche, chives and housemade potato chips. The chilled shrimp features a riff on traditional cocktail sauce with a lighter herb and garlic iteration, pepper relish and caviar.

Pair any of these with the classic service martini with gin or vodka, a choice of three vermouths and, of course, the option to add caviar for $20. Tuck into small plates, sip on an ice cold drink and stay a while. As Jimenez said: “The Den offers a space for people to escape.”

A la carte

What’s

new

Hotel Bennett ’s signature restaurant

Gabrielle recently named a new executive chef, Edgar Kano, who introduces a new menu inspired by his Japanese heritage and hometown of Mexico City. The “coastal-focused menu sprinkled with international flair” features items like snapper ceviche with yuzu and seafood black linguine with clams, mussels and shrimp.

Gabrielle is open daily from noon to 3 p.m. for lunch and from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. for dinner.

The pickleball “eatertainment”

concept Crush Yard is now open in Mount Pleasant. In addition to eight indoor pickleball courts, Crush Yard features food from chef Brandon Buck — think burgers, wings and waffle fries — and self-serve drink taps, including sodas, beer and wine. Crush Yard will be open daily from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m for members and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m to the public. Learn more at crushyard.com.

What’s hot

Tripadvisor recently named three Charleston restaurants as part of its Best of the Best 2023 awards. The travel company unveiled its award winners for 2023 on Sept. 27 and three Charleston restaurants received top accolades. Halls Chophouse and Circa 1886 Restaurant landed at No. 3 and No. 10 in the Fine Dining category, while Cru Cafe sat at No. 9 in the Hidden Gems category.

Local tea and coffee brand Oliver Pluff & Company was recently recognized in Good Housekeeping’s 2023 Kitchen Gear, Coffee & Tea awards for its Whiskey Rebellion black tea, which is briefly aged in whiskey barrels.

What’s happening

Now through the end of October, SOL Southwest Kitchen & Tequila Bar, located in Mount Pleasant and Summerville, donates money from select cocktails to SOS Lowcountry. The local nonprofit is a volunteer organization that financially supports breast cancer patients throughout South Carolina. Buy a Be Brave Margarita, Miracle Mojito or Think Pink Cooler this month to support SOS Lowcountry. — Connelly Hardway

Be the first to know. Read the Cuisine section at charlestoncitypaper.com.

J.B. McCabe

Real Estate

Furnished Rentals

Real Estate Services

SHORT-TERM RENTAL

WEST ASHLEY. 10 out of 10 Traveller Award from Booking. com. 335 Wappoo Rd. Beautiful new free-standing furnished short-term rental. 1 BR, 1 BA, convenient to WA Greenway, shops, restaurants, downtown & beaches, Sun-Thurs $229/night. Weekends Fri & Sat $249/ night. 14% tax is added. No security deposit and no Cleaning fee. AirBnB SUPERHOSTS, VRBO PREMIER HOSTS & PLUM GUIDE AWARD WINNERS. Call Charlie Smith (843) 813-0352, CSA Real Estate. https://bit.ly/wappoocottage

SPOTLIGHT

RETHINK MOBILE HOMES

Amazing floor plans & flexibility. Sturdy, well-built models (Wind Zone 3) for hundreds of thousands less than traditional homes. Land/ home packages. Locally owned and operated for over 25 years. Call (843) 821-8671, www.nandmmobilehomes.com

VACATION PROPERTY

ADVERTISE YOUR VACATION PROPERTY FOR RENT OR SALE to more than 2.1 million S.C. newspaper readers. Your 25-word classified ad will appear in 99 S.C. newspapers for only $375. Call Randall Savely at the South Carolina Newspaper Network, (888) 727-7377.

SHORT-TERM RENTAL WEST ASHLEY

10 out of 10 Traveller Award from Booking. com. 335 Wappoo Rd. Beautiful new freestanding furnished short-term rental. 1 BR, 1 BA, convenient to WA Greenway, shops, restaurants, downtown & beaches, Sun-Thurs $229/night. Weekends Fri & Sat $249/night. 14% tax is added. No security deposit and no Cleaning fee.

AirBnB SUPERHOSTS, VRBO PREMIER HOSTS & PLUM GUIDE AWARD WINNERS. Call Charlie Smith (843) 813-0352, CSA Real Estate. https://bit.ly/wappoocottage

Dogs

AKC MINI AMERICAN

AKA MINI AMERICAN SHEPHERDS. Mini & toy sizes in assorted colors. 8-15 lbs when mature. Ready to go in Oct. We do have a few older pups ready to go now. Complete vet checkups & 1st shots. 2-year guarantee & AKC registrations. Raised in our home w/ family and kids. A+ rating with the BBB since 2008. Find us on Facebook: Bouchard’s Best Shepherds, $1,600. Call for more info, (978) 257-0353.

LEFT

Male. 3 y/o. Curious cat who loves playing with toys. For more information, call (843) 871.3820 or email adopt@dorchesterpaws.org

DUO

Male. 1 y/o. Sweet, happy, lovable pup! For more information, email: office@pethelpers.org or call: (843) 795-1110.

MARS

Male. 3 y/o. Fluffy and affectionate! For more information, call (843) 871.3820 or email adopt@dorchesterpaws.org

GOLDEN DOODLE PUPS

MAURA

Female. 2 y/o. A beautiful and sophisticated girl. For more information, call: (843) 747-4849. www.charlestonanimalsociety.org

Both parents are AKC registered and Embark tested, Mom is a Golden Retriever, Dad is a Mini poodle. Puppies will grow to be anywhere from 30 to 45 lbs. Call: (864) 941.6841 or email: cdwagler91@gmail.com

SOCK BOY

Male. 2 m/o. Adorable, sweet kitten looking for an awesome home. For more information, email: office@pethelpers.org or call: (843) 795-1110.

GOLDEN RETRIEVER PUPS

Born 7/20/23. Parents are AKC registered and Embark tested. Puppies come with papers for limited registration. UTD on shots/worming and are vet checked. Ready 9/14. Call: (864)941.6841 or email: cdwagler91@gmail.com

SUGAR

Female. 2 y/o. Pretty, playful, and ready for a new home. For more information, email: office@pethelpers.org or call: (843) 795-1110.

GRETEL

Female. 8 y/o. Gretel is a sweet, slightly timid girl looking for a loving home. For more information, call: (843) 747-4849. www. charlestonanimalsociety.org

Market

Employment

PT DELIVERY WANTED

Join the great team at the Charleston City Paper to deliver newspapers across town. Routes run on Wednesday mornings. Must have valid driver’s license & your own vehicle. Call Andy at (843) 670-3996.

DRIVER JOBS

ADVERTISE YOUR DRIVER JOBS-

In 99 S.C. newspapers for only $375. Your 25-word classified ad will reach more than 2.1 million readers. Call Randall Savely at the S.C. Newspaper Network, (888) 727-7377.

Art, Antiques, & Collectables

IGGY

Male. Adult. Iggy is an energetic, loving pup who loves other dogs, long walks, cuddling, and kisses. To meet Iggy, email: office@pethelpers.com

WANTED: STAMPS, COINS

Old unwanted jewelry, gold & silver coins. Call Glenn (407) 461-7720, millglenn@aol.com (Savannah, GA)

Electronics

DIRECTV OVER INTERNET

FREE INTERNET

FREE high speed internet for those that qualify. Government program for recipients of select programs incl. Medicaid, SNAP, Housing Assistance, WIC, Veterans Pension, Survivor Benefits, Lifeline, Tribal. 15 GB internet service. Bonus offer: Android tablet FREE with one-time $20 copay. Free shipping & handling. Call Maxsip Telecom today!

(855) 851-8201

HIGH SPEED INTERNET

Shop w/ A Viasat Expert For High Speed Satellite Internet. New Customer Deals In Your Area. Nationwide Service. New Service For 2023. Call: (855) 822-5911.

Financial

APPLYING FOR DISABILITY?

Applying for Social Security

Disability or Appealing a Denied Claim? Call Bill Gordon & Assoc. Our case managers simplify the process & work hard to help with your case. Call: (844) 528-1156 for a FREE Consultation. Local Attorneys Nationwide Mail: 2420 N St NW, Washington DC. Office: Broward Co. FL (TX/NM Bar.)

ARE YOU A PET OWNER?

Do you want to get up to 100% back on Vet Bills? Physicians Mutual Insurance Company has pet coverage that can help! Call: (877) 582-0348 to get a free quote or visit insurebarkmeow.com/sc

CA$H FOR GUITARS

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Up to $15,000.00 of GUARANTEED Life Insurance!. No medical exam or health questions. Cash to help pay funeral and other final expenses. Call Physicians Life Insurance Company: (855) 837-7719 or visit www.Life55plus.info/scan

Misc

BEAUTIFY YOUR HOME with energy efficient new windows! They will increase your home’s value & decrease your energy bills. Replace all or a few! Call now to get your free, no-obligation quote. (866) 366-0252

CLEANING GUTTERS?

Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 20% off Entire Purchase. Plus 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call: (855) 875-2449.

DIRECTV SATELLITE

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Starting at $64.99/mo For 24 mos, Free Installation! 165+ Channels Available. Call Now For The Most Sports & Entertainment On TV! (855) 401-8842.

GENERAC GENERATOR

Prepare for power outages today with a GENERAC home standby generator. $0 Money Down + Low Monthly Payment Options. Request a FREE Quote. Call now before the next power outage: (844) 775-0366.

PORTABLE OXYGEN

Portable Oxygen Concentrator May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call: (833) 230-8692.

SECURE YOUR HOME with Vivint Smart Home technology. Call (855) 621-5855 to learn how you can get a professionally installed security system with $0 activation.

TIMESHARES

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UNWANTED CAR???

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WALK-IN TUB

TRUCK AUCTION

One Owner Absolute Construction-Truck Auction. D.T.I Inc. Donald Wayne Tingen (owner deceased). Tue., Oct 10 at 9AM. 781 Hwy 751, Apex, NC 27523. lnspection Mon., Oct 9 from 9AM-5PM. 10% buyer’s premium. lnternet-Proxibid 2% additional premium. See meekinsauction. com. NCLN 858. For more info call Meekins Auction (910) 739-0547.

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA

COUNTY OF BERKELEY

IN THE FAMILY COURT FOR THE NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT DOCKET NO. 2023-DR- 08-1469 SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

VERSUS LAUREN KENDRICK, DARLENE VARNER, WALTER VARNER, DEFENDANTS.

PLEAS C/A NO.: 2023-CP-10-02692

U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, not in its individual capacity but solely as indenture trustee for CIM Trust 2022-R2 Mortgage-Backed Notes, Series 2022-R2, Plaintiff, v. Any heirs-at-law or devisees of Glenda G. Hensarling, deceased, their heirs, Personal Representatives, Administrators, Successors and Assigns, and all other persons or entities entitled to claim through them; all unknown persons or entities with any right, title, estate, interest in or lien upon the real estate described in the complaint herein; also any persons who may be in the military service of the United States of America, being a class designated as Richard Roe; and any unknown minors, incompetent or imprisoned person, or persons under a disability being a class designated as John Doe; Kimberly Lyn Hensarling; Shadowmoss Plantation Homeowners’ Association, Inc.; Jacquelyn Reimer, Defendant(s).

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT

an action has been or will be commenced in this Court upon complaint of the above-named Plaintiff against the above-named Defendant(s) for the foreclosure of a certain mortgage of real estate given by Glenda G. Hensarling to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for Tidelands Bank dated February 29, 2008 and recorded on March 26, 2008 in Book Y654 at Page 556, in the Charleston County Registry (hereinafter, “Mortgage”). Thereafter, the Mortgage was transferred to the Plaintiff herein by assignment and/ or corporate merger.

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RECYCLE THIS PAPER

IN THE INTERESTS OF: MINOR CHILD BORN 2021. TO DEFENDANT: LAUREN KENDRICK YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to answer the Complaint in this action filed with the Clerk of Court for BERKELEY County on JULY 21, 2023. Upon proof of interest, a copy of the Complaint will be delivered to you upon request from the BERKELEY County Clerk of Court, and you must serve a copy of your Answer to the Complaint on the Plaintiff, the South Carolina Department of Social Services, at the office of its Attorney, W. Tracy Brown, Legal Department of the BERKELEY County Department of Social Services, 2 BELT DRIVE, MONCKS CORNER S.C. 29461 within thirty (30) days of this publication, exclusive of the date of service. If you fail to answer within the time set forth above, the Plaintiff will proceed to seek relief from the Court. W. Tracy Brown, SC Bar # 5832, 2 BELT DRIVE, MONCKS CORNER, SC 29461, 843-719-1007.

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF BERKELEY IN THE FAMILY COURT FOR THE NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT DOCKET NO. 2023-DR- 08-862

SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

VERSUS

LINDA T FLORES, DEFENDANTS. IN THE INTERESTS OF: MINOR CHILD G.I.F., BORN 10/17/2021 TO DEFENDANT: LINDA T FLORES YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to answer the Complaint in this action filed with the Clerk of Court for BERKELEY County on MAY 3, 2023. Upon proof of interest, a copy of the Complaint will be delivered to you upon request from the BERKELEY County Clerk of Court, and you must serve a copy of your Answer to the Complaint on the Plaintiff, the South Carolina Department of Social Services, at the office of its Attorney, Sally C. Dey, Legal Department of the Department of Social Services, 3685 Rivers Ave., Ste. 101, No. Chas., SC 29405, (843) 697-7564, within thirty (30) days of this publication, exclusive of the date of service. If you fail to answer within the time set forth above, the Plaintiff will proceed to seek relief from the Court.

SUMMONS AND NOTICES (Non-Jury) FORECLOSURE OF REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE

TO THE DEFENDANT(S) ABOVE

NAMED:

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 3800 Fernandina Road, Suite 110, Columbia, SC 29210, 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 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 Plaintiff.

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.

YOU WILL ALSO TAKE NOTICE that under the provisions of S.C. Code Ann. § 29-3-100, effective June 16, 1993, any collateral assignment of rents contained in the referenced Mortgage is perfected and Attorney for Plaintiff hereby gives notice that all rents shall be payable directly to it by delivery to its undersigned attorneys from the date of default.

In the alternative, Plaintiff will move before a judge of this Circuit on the 10th day after service hereof, or as soon thereafter as counsel may be heard, for an Order enforcing the assignment of rents, if any, and compelling payment of all rents covered by such assignment directly to the Plaintiff, which motion is to be based upon the original Note and Mortgage herein and the Complaint attached hereto.

The premises covered and affected by the said Mortgage and by the foreclosure thereof were, at the time of the making thereof and at the time of the filing of this notice, more particularly described in the said Mortgage and are more commonly described as: All that lot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon or to be constructed thereon, situate, lying and being in the City of Charleston, County of Charleston, State of South Carolina, known and designated as Lot No. 16 on a plat thereof bearing legend “Shadowood at Shadowmoss Plantation Subdivision Plat of Lots 1 through 44, Tract 12” by F. Steven Johnson, Registered Land Surveyor for the State of South Carolina, dated October 10, 1990, and recorded on October 23, 1990, in the RMC Office for Charleston County in Plat Book CA at Page 182; final approved plat recorded March 28, 1991, in Plat Book CC at Page 124.

SAID lot herein being conveyed having such size, shape, dimensions, butting and boundings as is more clearly shown on delineated on the aforesaid plat, reference to which said plat is hereby craved for a more full and complete description; and which said plat is hereby made a part and parcel hereof.

This being the same property conveyed to Glenda G. Hensarling by deed of Josie M. Looper dated February 29, 2008, and recorded March 26, 2008, in Book X654 at Page 149 in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Charleston County, South Carolina. Thereafter, Glenda G. Hensarling passed away on or about January 5, 2023, leaving the subject property to her heirs or devisees, namely Kimberly Lyn Hensarling.

TMS No. 358-00-00-068 Property Address: 59 Wolk Drive Charleston, SC 29414

NOTICE OF FILING COMPLAINT TO THE DEFENDANTS ABOVE

NAMED:

YOU WILL PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the original Complaint, Cover Sheet for Civil Actions 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 June 5, 2023.

ORDER APPOINTING GUARDIAN AD LITEM AND APPOINTMENT OF ATTORNEY

It appearing to the satisfaction of the Court, upon reading the filed Petition for Appointment of Kelley Woody, Esquire as Guardian ad Litem for unknown minors, and persons who may be under a disability, and it appearing that Kelley Woody, Esquire has consented to said appointment.

FURTHER upon reading the filed Petition for Appointment of Kelley Woody, Esquire as Attorney for any unknown Defendants who may be in the Military Service of the United States of America, and may be, as

Arts, etc.

PURE hosts women’s storytelling showcase

By Chloe Hogan

In an evening of poetry, music, art and essays, leading Charleston artists from teenagers to 60-year-olds will share on Oct. 24 their stories about womanhood on the Cannon Street Arts Center stage.

Midlife Monologues is a theatrical showcase which will shine a light on the challenges and joys of a woman’s life — from turning 30 to the anxieties of motherhood to the hot bright light of menopause.

The event is organized by essayist Kerri Devine and PURE Theatre’s leader Sharon Graci with help from author Stephanie Hunt. Devine is the organizer behind Hot in Charleston, an Instagram-based virtual community focused on the female midlife experience, which last year hosted a soldout World Menopause Day event at the Gibbes Museum of Art.

“So people were saying, what are you doing this year for World Menopause Day?” Devine said.

“I thought of Sharon — we knew each other because we have daughters the same age, and we’re the same age — and Stephanie Hunt, who is a creative collaborator and a great writer. The three of us talked about it, and the next thing we knew, we were producing an event, a showcase called Midlife Monologues, which is about the road to, through and after midlife.

“It’s an intergenerational program, because we believe that having these conversations, conversations that our mothers didn’t tell us about and that our doctors aren’t really prepared to talk about, are important.”

Graci emphasized this event is for everyone to come and gain a better understanding of the female experience.

“There is, of course, a whole constitu-

provided A one-night-only show at Cannon Street Arts Center will offer presentations from leading Charleston artists, live painting, musical performances and more

ency in our community that can relate. But if you’re not a woman, if you’re not midlife, there is someone you love who can relate to this,” Graci said.

Devine and Graci share the vision that this showcase should represent the arc of a woman’s journey — that’s why teenage artists will present alongside women who are deep into their lives and careers. They hope the showcase can provide deep exploration of what Devine said is a “constantly shifting conversation” in our culture as a whole.

“I think that there is a real culture shift going on right now ... in the way that we talk about and think about midlife,” Devine said.

“This show is part of that larger cultural movement to redefine midlife in all of its potential for women — in the family, in the workplace and in our collective imagination.”

A portion of event proceeds will go to the Medical University of South Carolina’s Arts in Healing program and Mugs for Moms, which uses the arts to support the emotional health of women in the perinatal years. Expect wine, mocktails and authors’ books available for purchase through Buxton Books. Emmy Awardwinning News 2 anchor and women’s health advocate Carolyn Murray will present a special prologue.

Devine said the goal of the event is to spark deep conversation and introspection.

“I want us to talk about who we are,

separate from the roles and identities that society has envisioned for us or that we have envisioned for our own lives. Those are the sorts of questions that you start asking yourself in midlife — and I think maybe if we can get women to start asking these questions about themselves and their lives sooner, we can make sure that women live fuller lives, supported by their families and communities.”

The 7 p.m. Oct. 24 show is sold out, but a second show set for 8:30 p.m. Oct. 24 is now available. Doors open for the second show at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $31 to $51, with $15 streaming tickets also available at puretheatre.org.

Studio Union hosts art auction, party

North Charleston art space Studio Union hosts an art auction and party from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Oct. 7. The studio artists, including painters, potters, filmmakers and more, will present an art auction with proceeds going towards studio improvements. The in-person auction will offer wine from Stems & Skins. If you miss the Oct. 7 party, don’t fret, you can also participate in the auction online. Check out @studiounion_chs on Instagram or studiounionchs.com to learn more.

Chloe Hogan

Catch Todrick Hall’s Velvet Rage tour

Internet star, Broadway singer and Ru Paul’s Drag Race choreographer Todrick Hall will perform at the Charleston Music Hall on Oct. 12. You may recognize his name from hit songs “BOTH,” “I Like Boys” and “Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels” or his appearance as a contestant on the ninth season of American Idol. Hall recently announced he is working with Christina Aguilera to create Burlesque: The Musical. The pop and R&B singer is sure to stun audiences during his Oct. 12 performance. Hall hopes his music helps listeners feel empowered and celebrated as he emphasizes inclusivity, individuality and acceptance. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $29.50 and are available at charlestonmusichall.com.

Mary Martha Beard

Catch a steamy prohibition-era play

Directed by Footlight Players artistic director Kyle Barnette , Wild Party is a sexually charged prohibition era musical and off-Broadway cult classic. The musical tells the story of two lovers, Queenie and Burrs, in 1920s Manhattan. The lovers attempt to throw a party-to-end-all parties, which results in debauchery, mayhem and chaos. Catch the show at Queen Street Playhouse Oct. 6 through Oct. 22. Tickets start at $44 and are available at footlightplayers.net. CH

Jonathan Boncek file photo;

Hunt

This show is part of that larger cultural movement to redefine midlife in all of its potential for women — in the family, in the workplace and in our collective imagination.”

—Kerri Devine

FREE SHOW

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OCTOBER 6 9 P.M.

There’s no stopping The Simplicity

By Chelsea Grinstead

The new rock ‘n’ roll ballad “SMOKIN’ ” from Charleston rock band The Simplicity may sound like an excuse to keep a bad habit.

“It’s a love song about a bad thing,” frontman John Bias told the Charleston City Paper. “I think it’s fun to write stuff like that. It’s really just about my relationship with cigarettes. It’s one of the first songs we recorded for the new record. And it’s definitely a harbinger of what the new record sounds like.”

“SMOKIN’ ” is the second single off the band’s sophomore album slated for release in 2024, and it followed the June release of the first single “PAIN RELIEVER FEVER REDUCER.”

While the band started out in 2019 as a three piece with Bias, drummer Drew Lewis and bassist Tommy Merritt, “SMOKIN’ ” delivers a broader, fuller Simplicity experience with fills from keyboardist Paul Chelmis of local alternative band Human Resources, guitarist Connor Hollifield of local rock band Hollifield and guitarist James Rubush of local band Little Bird.

The song’s reclined tempo lolls and twangs as Bias’ bellowing vocals eventually descend into raspy, manic shouts backed by spiraling electric distortion. He sings: “Five more dollars for 20 new friends / Burning the midnight candle at both ends / They don’t mind when I scream and shout / They help me keep the light on when it burns out.”

There will be more singles dropped before the release of the new album, which was recorded with Charleston producer Wolfgang Zimmerman at The Space. The Simplicity’s debut record DAHLIN’, which was released on Valentine’s Day 2022, was also a product of The Space.

“We definitely have more to say,” Merritt said of the band’s coming album. “The performances of the songs and the content is definitely more actualized. I think with DAHLIN,’ we were just seeing what we can get away with and what works.”

“It’s definitely a little more fleshed out,” Lewis added. “Some of the songs that are going to be coming out, we tried to do them live as a three piece, and it always felt like something was missing.”

The Simplicity was also joined in the studio by cellist Claire Allen and keyboardist Noah James to build a dynamic sound for the 2024 record.

Keeping the train rolling

No matter what form The Simplicity has taken on over the years, what keeps it going is a love for collaboration.

“Being in a band is like being in a marriage,” Lewis said. “Every band is a little different. But this one is a little more like a family. We’ve been in it for a while, and it can get a little messy at times. But it’s one of those things that you can always just be yourself, and you can be honest. It feels very safe in some ways.”

The Simplicity’s sound is intended to be

Charleston rock band The Simplicity consists of (from left to right) drummer Drew Lewis, frontman John Bias and bassist Tommy Merritt. The band dropped a new single on Oct. 6 called “SMOKIN’.”

“ I don’t think we would ever get into anything other than just straight up rock ‘n’ roll. It’s the only thing that the three of us totally agree on — it’s pretty natural.”

—John Bias

Comic Bates to open comedy club in North Charleston

By Chloe Hogan

Park Circle bar The Sparrow gained a name as one of the best spots in town to regularly catch stand-up comedy since North Charleston-based comic Josh Bates started curating its comedy program in 2020. So when the bar recently announced it will close its doors in January after almost 12 years in business, many were left wondering what might happen to its bustling comedy program.

Bates, the producer behind that comedy series, on Sept. 19 announced on Instagram he will open a new comedy club called Wit’s End in North Charleston in February.

Bates is a successful comic himself. His comedy album, Pancake Carpet, was the No. 1 album upon its release on Billboard and Apple earlier this year. And he said he’s having no trouble filling the programming schedule before Wit’s End is even open.

“A lot of national comedians are very

excited that we’re opening the space, and we’re getting booked very fast,” he told the Charleston City Paper last week. He teased coming shows with comedians including Shawn Patton and Shane Torres early next year.

Bates said he will continue to bring nationally touring comics to Charleston at Wit’s End along with local acts and open mics at least twice a week, as he’s done for the last three years at The Sparrow.

But Wit’s End will offer something entirely new, too: Bates plans to bring in local theater productions, improv comedy, a singer-songwriter performance series and more surprises. He hopes to bring in plays next year from Flowertown Players in Summerville (where he once served as artistic director) and sketch comedy from the locally produced variety show Rip City, among other performances.

Bates partnered with local entre-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

Ben Egelson

Josh Bates is the producer behind the popular stand-up comedy shows at Park Circle bar The Sparrow. He will open a brand-new North Charleston comedy club called Wit’s End in February, shortly after The Sparrow closes in January. Wit’s End will offer shows by nationally touring stand-up comics, host open mic nights, local theater, musicians and more.

OVER 30 EVENTS RUNNING, FROM NOVEMBER 3 RD TO 12TH , INCLUDING:

How to Say Babylon: A Jamaican Memoir

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Wednesday, Nov. 8 2 p.m., $25 Dock Street Theatre

Way With Words

The Pulitzer prizewinning poet describes working with Paul McCartney on his definitive two-volume book of lyrics.

Friday, Nov. 10 4 p.m., $25 Dock Street Theatre

First Folio Felicitations

Former Artistic Director of the Globe Theatre in London joins us to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s First Folio.

Saturday, Nov. 11 6 p.m., $25 Dock Street Theatre

Katherine Rundell

Super-Infinite

Rundell speaks about her book SuperInfinite on the poetry of John Donne, featuring actor Edoardo Ballerini reading Donne’s classics.

Saturday, Nov. 11 6 p.m., $25

Dock Street Theatre

Safiya Sinclair

Paul Muldoon

Dominc Dromgoole

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High Fidelity: Your Top 5

Marcus Wilson-Stevenson is the training director for HolyCityWellBeing, a mental wellness training group, Ohm Radio writes. He is certified in The Science of Well-Being by Yale University and the recipient of the Maya Angelou award for community engagement. He’s also a North Carolina and South Carolina peer support specialist and host of the radio show Your Wealth is in Your Wellness on 96.3FM Ohm Radio. A national speaker and advance-level Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) facilitator, Wilson-Steven is married to his wife, Karen, and has two children, Matthew and Myracle. He gave Charleston City Paper his top five wellness albums:

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Simplicity

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

a jolt to the system or a kick in the teeth, Bias said. And while the act’s current sound may differ from the older stuff, it’s just an upgraded, more detailed version.

“I don’t think we would ever get into anything other than just straight up rock ‘n’ roll,” Bias said. “It’s the only thing that the three of us totally agree on — it’s pretty natural.”

Merritt added, “I think it’s definitely more accessible, and I think Bias’ songwriting is getting a little bit more vulnerable as well. We’re not writing ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ but

Comedy

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28

preneur Rick Blind for this new venture, and the two looked at more than 30 properties before finding the right building. Wit’s End will be located on Rivers Avenue across the street from the Starlight Motor Inn and next to Corrie and Shuai Wang’s soon-to-open restaurant, King BBQ.

Though the end of comedy at The Sparrow is bittersweet, Bates wrote on Wit’s End Instagram account (@witsendcharleston), “We are not saying goodbye to comedy in Charleston. In fact, we are saying hello to something bigger and better.”

The space still has the intimate feel of the shows at The Sparrow with a 90-seat theater, Bates said. But there will also be a bar, a podcast studio and even a VIP lounge.

“When you walk in, what’s amazing about the space, it’s all divided into four sections. The bar is completely separated from the actual theater. And it’ll be a brand-new bar — everything’s being built from the

[the sound] is a little deeper.”

The Simplicity has always considered itself a live act with an impassioned unpredictability rather than a recording project.

“We’ve been playing these songs for so long,” Bias said, “that now we’ve gotten to the point where it’s like, we don’t even talk about things happening, and they just happen — and it ends up being part of the song.”

Don’t miss The Simplicity with Hollifield on the Pour House deck stage Nov. 18 as part of the Beachtown Weekend event with Philadelphia-born rock act Mo Lowda & The Humble, Virginia-based rock duo Illiterate Light and Charleston indie band Brave Baby.

—Josh Bates via Instagram

ground up. And then upstairs, we have a very large green room and a podcast studio rental space,” he said.

The fourth section of the venue, another upstairs room, will be especially exciting, Bates said, as “it will be basically a VIP room with a full arcade and a bunch of fun things to do.”

For fans of comedy at The Sparrow, Bates said you can expect the “same kind of talent” at Wit’s End. “But we’re also raising the stakes and offering more.”

“

We are not saying goodbye to comedy in Charleston. In fact, we are saying hello to something bigger and better.”

Across

1. Madcap adventure

5. “Ha ha ha!” online (that’s one “ha” per letter)

8. Angelic instruments

13. Operatic feature

14. “All right, I get it”

16. Hack-a-Shaq target

17. Escaping

19. Old-timey photo filter color

20. [Mystery Clue 1]

22. Third Greek letter

25. Ticket remainder

26. London-to-Barcelona dir.

27. “Deep Space Nine” shapeshifter

28. Stardew Valley, e.g.

31. “Tic ___ Dough” (Wink Martindale game show)

33. With 43-Across, [Mystery Clue 2]

39. Peaceful creatures in “The Time Machine”

40. Radio station sign

41. Hershey caramel candy

43. See 33-Across

46. Liverpool loc.

47. Boggy lowland

48. “Respect for Acting” writer Hagen

49. Morning hrs.

52. “Nautical” beginner

55. Clock app function

57. [Mystery Clue 3]

61. “West Side Story” role

62. Frighten off

66. Actress Zazie of “Atlanta” and “Joker”

67. “And there you have it!”

68. Solitary

69. “Fish in ___? How can that be?” (“Hop on Pop” line)

70. ___ judicata (case that’s been decided)

71. Grogu, aka Baby ___

Down

1. Cloth for a spill

2. Gold, in the place where that announcer says “Gooooooooool”

3. Nintendo console avatar

4. Former international airline, for short

5. “24/7 ___ hip hop beats”

6. Veggie in Indian and Cajun cuisine

7. Fertile type of soil

8. Pre-paid cocktail source at parties

9. Over again

10. Seized vehicles

11. Figure skating event

12. Appease, as thirst

15. Daily Planet reporter Clark

18. Piercing look

21. The other poetic Muse (the one not in crosswords as much)

22. Outta here

23. No longer a minor

24. Aquaman portrayer Jason

29. Like electrical plugs and forks (don’t mix the two!)

30. “It’s Always Sunny” group, collectively

32. ___-Alt-Del

34. Transportation to the mini-mart, perhaps

35. ___ Schwarz (New York toy store)

36. Brief bit of bickering

37. Kinda dull

38. Make happy

42. Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan

44. Flabbergasted

45. ___ nous (just between us)

49. Addis ___, Ethiopia

50. Impressionist Edouard

51. Slalom expert

53. Take a breather

54. “CODA” prize

56. What Olive Garden is supposed to represent, vaguely

58. Suffix still used after “Bachelor” in reality shows

59. “Smooth Operator” singer

60. Taylor Swift’s 2023 tour

63. “Extraordinary Attorney ___” (Korean Netflix show)

64. Word often used in jokes that end “In this economy?”

65. Vote to approve

“AN EASY PUZZLE” —some similar similes.