South Carolina Living June 2016

CHANGE OUT SNIFFING

OUT DRUGS Furry officers think the job is a game

SC TR AV E L S

Zip lines across S.C. SC R E C I PE

JUNE 2016

Summer sides

Guaranteed the most comfortable pillow you’ll ever own!

™

How Well Did You Sleep Last Night?

Did you toss and turn all night? Did you wake up with a sore neck, head ache, or was your arm asleep? Do you feel like you need a nap even though you slept for eight hours? Just like you, I would wake up in the morning with all of those problems and I couldn’t figure out why. Like many people who have trouble getting a good night’s sleep, my lack of sleep was affecting the quality of my life. I wanted to do something about my sleep problems, but nothing that I tried worked.

Mike Lindell Inventor & CEO of MyPillow®

The Pillow Was the Problem I bought every pillow on the market that promised to give me a better night’s sleep. After trying them all, with no success, I finally decided to invent one myself. I began asking everyone I knew what qualities they’d like to see in their “perfect pillow.”

Their responses included: “I’d like a pillow that never goes flat”, “I’d like my pillow to stay cool” and “I’d like a pillow that adjusts to me regardless of my sleep position.” After hearing everyone had the same problems that I did, I spent the next two years of my life inventing MyPillow.

In the early days, Mike and his family spent countless hours hand-making each MyPillow. This hard work and dedication to “doing it right” helped MyPillow become a classic American success story.

MyPillow® to the Rescue Flash forward eleven years and MyPillow, Mike Lindell’s revolutionary pillow design, has helped 12 million people improve the quality of their sleep. MyPillow has received thousands of testimonials from customers about how MyPillow has changed their lives.

“Until I was diagnosed with various sleep issues, I had no idea why my sleep was so interrupted throughout the night. I watch Imus each morning and heard endless testimonials about MyPillow.

I took his advice and ordered a MyPillow. Now I wake up rested and ready to conquer the day ahead. Thank you for helping me remember what it’s like to sleep like a baby!” - Jacqueline H.

Lindell has been featured on numerous talk shows, including Fox Business News and Imus in the Morning.

Lindell and MyPillow have also appeared in feature stories in major magazines and newspapers across the country.

MyPillow has received the coveted “Q Star Award” for Product Concept of the Year from QVC, and has been selected as the Official Pillow of the National Sleep Foundation.

MyPillow’s patented interlocking fill allows you to adjust the pillow to your individual needs regardless of sleep position.

Unprecedented Guarantee and Warranty I do all of my own manufacturing in my home state of Minnesota and all materials are 100% made in the U.S.A. I’m so confident MyPillow will help you, I’m offering an unprecedented 60-day money back guarantee and a 10-year warranty not to go flat! I truly believe MyPillow is the best pillow in the world and that if everyone had one, they would get better sleep and the world would be a much happier place. God Bless.

Don’t wait—Order MyPillow and get sleep you’ve been dreaming about!

Save 50% when you use promo code “carolina12” BUY NOW AT:

mypillow.com OR call 800.960.6072

THE MAGAZINE FOR COOPERATIVE MEMBERS Vol. 70 • No. 6 (ISSN 0047-486X, USPS 316-240) Read in more than 559,000 homes and businesses and published monthly except in December by The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. 808 Knox Abbott Drive Cayce, SC 29033 Tel: (803) 926-3 1 75 Fax: (803) 796-6064 Email: letters@scliving.coop EDITOR

Keith Phillips ASSISTANT EDITOR

Diane Veto Parham

JUNE 2016 • VOLUME 70, NUMBER 6

FEATURE

16 A nose for trouble Police K-9 units work as a team to keep the bad guys at bay.

FIELD EDITOR

Walter Allread PUBLICATION COORDINATOR

Travis Ward

ART DIRECTOR

Sharri Harris Wolfgang DESIGNER

4 CO-OP CONNECTION Cooperative news

6 ON THE AGENDA

Susan Collins PRODUCTION WEB EDITOR

Van O’Cain COPY EDITOR

Susan Scott Soyars CONTRIBUTORS

Ron Aiken, Becky Billingsley, Mike Couick, Jim Dulley, Jan A. Igoe, Charles Joyner, Thomas Kirk, Brian Sloboda, Belinda Smith-Sullivan, S. Cory Tanner, Paul Wesslund

Aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart flies into South Carolina for Greenville Chautauqua. Plus: Learn how co-ops are leading the fight against malicious hackers.

MYRTLE BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT

Andrew Chapman

POWER USER DIALOGUE

10 What you can learn

on a back road

PUBLISHER

Lou Green ADVERTISING

Mary Watts Tel: (803) 739-5074 Email: ads@scliving.coop NATIONAL REPRESENTATION

National Country Market Tel: (800) NCM-1181

ADDRESS CHANGES: Please send

to your local co-op. Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Address Change, c/o the address above.

Periodicals postage paid at Columbia, S.C., and additional mailing offices. © COPYRIGHT 201 6. The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. No portion of South Carolina Living may be reproduced without permission of the Editor.

12 Tune up your AC for cool savings Summer’s coming. Tend to your air conditioner now or face the hot and humid consequences later.

SMART CHOICE

14 Pet pampering

Humans aren’t the only ones who can enjoy the latest technology.

Check out these gadgets designed to spoil your pet.

SC LIFE STORIES

21 Family adventures

Meet the Upstate family that turned their son’s passion for snakes, animals and the great outdoors into a successful reality show for teens.

Step off into a wild summer, courtesy of zip-line canopy tours and adventure parks across the Carolinas.

GARDENER

22

28 Keep the okra coming

Tips for growing and harvesting South Carolina’s favorite summer vegetable.

RECIPE

30 Summer sides

30

You’ll save money and impress your friends when you show up to the summer cookout with these delicious homemade dishes.

CHEF’S CHOICE

32 Staying true

KARE N HERM ANN

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING is brought to you by your member-owned, taxpaying, not-for-profit electric cooperative to inform you about your cooperative, wise energy use and the faces and places that identify the Palmetto State. Electric cooperatives are South Carolina’s — and America’s — largest utility network.

ENERGY Q&A

TRAVELS

22 Flying through the trees

True BBQ in Myrtle Beach opens a second, indoor location serving up the same slow-cooked goodness that made the original roadside stand an overnight success.

HUMOR ME

38 Make golf great again

Member of the NCM network of publications, reaching more than 7 million homes and businesses

SNIFFING OUT DRUGS

Fore! Golfers beware. Jan Igoe is about to tee off on your favorite sport.

34 MARKETPLACE 36 SC EVENTS

Furry officers think the job is a game

SC TR AV E LS

Zip lines across S.C. SC R E C I PE

Summer sides JUNE 2016

14

MIC SMITH

Paid advertisements are not endorsements by any electric cooperative or this publication.

If you encounter a difficulty with an advertisement, inform the Editor.

The spectacular taste of Caper’s Blades is proof positive that South Carolinians cherish our state’s natural resources.

Myrtle Beach Police Pfc. Kenny Harlow and his K-9 partner, Roscoe, prepare to hit the streets. Photo

by Milton Morris.

CHANGE OUT

4

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JUNE 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

CHANGE OUT

SCLIVING.COOP | JUNE 2016 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

5

On the Agenda For a listing p m co lete s, see of Event 6 page 3

Highlights

TOP PICK FOR KIDS JUNE 25

JUNE 17–26

Chautauqua History Alive Festival

Adventure invades Chautauqua this year, as costumed interpreters bring daring characters from American history to life. Audiences can interact with humorist and world traveler Mark Twain, intrepid aviator Amelia Earhart, rocket scientist Wernher von Braun and North Pole explorer Matthew Henson. Be on hand June 18 for an historical recreation of Earhart’s 1931 visit to Greenville, as her portrayer, Leslie Goddard (pictured), lands at Greenville Downtown Airport, drives off in a vintage automobile, and dines downtown at a luncheon in her honor at the Poinsett Hotel. Shows and discussions in the 10-day festival take place around Greenville and the Upstate.

Tara Hall Paddle Fest

It’s a family-friendly, splash-happy day on the water when Tara Hall Home for Boys hosts its festivities on Black Mingo Creek in Georgetown. Paddle the black waters in kayaks or canoes, then enjoy local bands, an outdoor lunch, waterslides, and kayak and barrel races on the river. The event raises funds for Tara Hall’s long-term residential home and school for neglected, troubled and abused boys.

For details, visit tarahall.org or call (843) 546-3000.

For details, visit greenvillechautauqua.org or call (864) 244-1499.

JUNE 18

Columbia Shrimp & Grits Fest

WEEKENDS IN JUNE

Ag + Art Tour

Don’t know exactly what’s on your bucket list, but here are a few things you could tick off on the nation’s largest, self-guided, free farm-plus-art tour: Get a peek at Barbados blackbelly sheep and curly-haired Mangalitsa pigs at Gypsy Wind Farm in Fairfield County. Listen to old-time clawhammer banjo music at Powell Farm in Chester County. Eat a farm-to-table lunch at Old McCaskill’s Farm in Kershaw County. Nine counties, more than 60 agricultural sites and 100 local artisans are included on this year’s tour: Chesterfield, Darlington and Horry counties (June 4–5); Lancaster and York counties (June 11–12); Fairfield and Kershaw counties (June 18–19); and Chester and Union counties (June 25–26).

For details, visit agandarttour.com or call (803) 981-3021.

6

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JUNE 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

You know good shrimp and grits when you taste it, right?

Don’t be afraid to say so at this first-ever Columbia event, where local restaurants compete for the glory of claiming the city’s best version of this iconic dish. An official panel of judges, including celebrity judge and football star Marcus Lattimore, will bestow the title of “Columbia’s Best Shrimp & Grits,” but the “People’s Choice” winner is chosen by us regular folks, who get to enjoy unlimited shrimp-and-grits samples, live music, door prizes, and a meet-and-greet with Lattimore at the downtown Marriott. Proceeds benefit the Marcus Lattimore Foundation for youth development.

For details, visit columbiashrimpandgrits.com or call (803) 760-2618.

EMAIL COMMENTS, QUESTIONS AND STORY SUGGESTIONS TO LETTERS@SCLIVING.COOP

CYBERSECURITY

Keeping hackers away from the power grid ABOUT 3:30 IN THE AFTERNOON

last Dec. 23, operators at three electric utilities in western Ukraine found themselves locked out of their computer terminals. Hackers took over the controls and started opening circuit breakers at substations, cutting power to more than 200,000 customers. Utility workers quickly switched to manual operations, but it took three hours to restore power.

That’s not a movie plot.

And if you missed or forgot about that news report from last year, people who run electric utilities have not. Attention to cybersecurity at electric utilities has been growing fast, and the Ukraine attack pushed that trend into overdrive.

“It’s garnered a lot of attention from the federal government and throughout the industry,” says Barry Lawson, associate director of power delivery and reliability for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA).

A big part of Lawson’s job is helping the nearly 1,000 electric co-ops in the country understand ­digital-age dangers and ensuring that they know how to protect and secure the power supply, electric grid, and co-op members and employees from internet mischief.

The Ukraine incident started last spring when utility workers received

The nation’s nearly 1,000 electric co-ops work closely together to protect the power supply and utility data from internet cyber hackers. emails with Microsoft Office documents that appeared to come from the Ukrainian parliament. When workers followed the email instructions asking them to click on a link to “enable macros,” malware embedded in the documents—called BlackEnergy 3—secretly infected the system. Among other capabilities, BlackEnergy 3 can enable an adversary to capture all the

energyEFFICIENCYtip

Save energy and money by lowering your water heater thermostat to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

This will also slow mineral buildup and corrosion in your water heater and pipes. SOURCE: ENERGY.GOV

keystrokes made on the infected computers, giving hackers passwords and other login information needed to access the utility’s control systems.

The Ukraine cyber attack has been studied in depth by U.S. u ­ tilities and the federal Department of Homeland Security. While most analysts see a largescale attack by hackers as unlikely to succeed in this country, cooperatives across the nation have adopted cutting-edge technology and new cybersecurity standards that require upgraded levels of training for utility operators, multiple layers of security to shield control systems from the internet and even stricter procedures for visitor access.

Lawson compares the co-op fight against hackers to the need to prepare for major storms and manage workplace safety on a daily basis.

“Physical security and cybersecurity are becoming just another cost of doing business,” says Lawson. “You’ll never be 100 percent secure, and all you can do is try your best to keep up with the bad guys. It’s a fact of life in these days and times we’re living in.”

—PAUL WESSLUND

S.C.RAMBLE!

BY CHARLES JOYNER, SEE ANSWER ON PAGE 35

South Carolina is one of only two states where _ _ _ _ _

i n r e b

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

s c t l m u a b grow wild.

Use the capital letters in the code key below to fill in the blanks above.

A E F L N P R S T U V Y means u n s c r a mb l e i t

SCLIVING.COOP | JUNE 2016 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

7

On the Agenda SCLiving.coop

BONUS VIDEO Fruit-flavored refreshments.

While summer berries are abundant, treat yourself to a chilled pitcher of one of Chef Belinda’s cool ­creations—Very berry lemonade or Strawberry-lime-kiwi water.

INTERACTIVE FEATURES Who wants a $100 gift card? Sign up for our free email newsletter, and you will automatically be eligible to win a $100 gift card. One lucky reader’s name will be drawn at random from all eligible entries received by June 30. Register today at SCLiving.coop/reader-reply.

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK Join us as we celebrate all that’s great about life in South Carolina. Add your voice to the conversation and share your photos at facebook.com/ SouthCarolinaLiving.

8

PLUG INTO ELECTRIC VEHICLES The electric-vehicle market is evolving and maturing. Although the concept of electrically powered vehicles first entered the market more than a century ago, only recently have they become a viable vehicle choice for modern drivers.

Since the launch of the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf in 2010, growth of the plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) market has been exponential, with over 215,600 PEVs added to American roadways. Although PEVs still represent just a sliver (0.38 percent) of the total cars in the U.S., drivers’ attitudes toward electric vehicles are changing. A recent Consumer Reports study found that 60 percent of Americans would consider a PEV when making their next car purchase.

Electric vehicles are designed to either supplement an internal-combustion engine or eliminate the need for it altogether. A primary benefit of PEVs is that trips to the gas station are either vastly reduced or eliminated.

However, instead of gas refueling, PEVs need to be recharged by plugging into the electric grid, either at home or at public charging stations.

At home, most owners rely on AC Level 1 charging cables (the AC stands for alternating current) that draw power from a regular 110-volt electrical outlet on a dedicated 15- or 20-amp circuit. Charging the batteries this way takes 8–10 hours. Many drivers find it convenient to plug their vehicles in overnight, so they’re ready to drive the next morning. AC Level 2 and DC (direct current) Level 3 charging stations cut the charge time in half but have more complex infrastructure requirements that can be costly, ranging from $650 to $80,400, depending on the application.

All-electric vehicles do not have conventional transmissions or petroleumfueled engines, making maintenance and upkeep generally cheaper than for an internal-combustion vehicle. One study found that the maintenance costs of PEVs are approximately 35 percent lower than those of comparable

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JUNE 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

gasoline-powered vehicles. However, battery replacement can be very expensive, should it be required before the end of the vehicle’s life. Pricing for a replacement Nissan Leaf battery currently starts around $5,499.

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), like the Chevy Volt, have both an electric motor and an internal-combustion

CHEVROLET

O N LY O N

OUR ENERGY FUTURE

Level 2 charging stations provide a dedicated 240-volt circuit. Using this type of station, the allelectric Nissan Leaf can be charged in four hours, while the Chevy Volt (pictured) can be ready to hit the highway in as little as three hours.

engine. Maintenance costs for these vehicles fall somewhere between allelectric and conventional gas-powered models. The Chevy Volt oil change interval is 30,000 miles, significantly extended over the 5,000-mile interval for most internal-combustion engines. The regenerative braking feature of PHEVs also reduces brake wear, and the PEV electrical system (battery, motor and associated electronics) typically requires little maintenance.

On average, the fuel cost per mile for an electrically powered car is about one-third the cost of driving a gasoline-powered car. In some regions of the U.S., the total cost of owning an electric vehicle is already lower than the total cost of a conventional vehicle.

As battery costs drop and charging infrastructure expands, electric cars may become a mainstream vehicle choice for many Americans within the next few decades. —BRIAN SLOBODA

EMAIL COMMENTS, QUESTIONS AND STORY SUGGESTIONS TO LETTERS@SCLIVING.COOP

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Going ductless in a manufactured home

Boosting mobile-home efficiency

Before investing in a new heating and cooling system, take the time to troubleshoot all of sometimes dubbed mobile the possible causes of energy loss in your homes, often log dispromanufactured home. Here’s what to look for: portionately higher energy BELLY BOARD PROBLEMS. The belly board holds the bills than traditional woodinsulation in place under the floor and serves as frame homes. Luckily, a vapor barrier. Over time, it can be damaged by animals or deteriorate, allowing the floor insulation there are steps you can to become moisture laden or simply to fall out. take to save on utility costs.

Often, there is also long-term water damage Manufactured homes from leaky pipes, toilets and showers that has come in several configucompromised the floor, insulation and belly board rations: single-wide, douintegrity. These problems must be addressed first. ble-wide and triple-wide.

Sealing your manufactured AIR LEAKAGE/INFILTRATION. Plug the leaks by Double-wide and triplehome may take a few weekends replacing deteriorated weather stripping and filling wide homes with forced-air and a few hundred dollars, in gaps in the “marriage wall” that joins multiple but what you’ll save on energy heating and cooling systems units, around wall registers and behind washers and costs will be worth it. require a crossover duct to dryers. provide airflow between CROSSOVER DUCTS. A crossover duct made of flexible tubing the sections. This connection is prone to air leaks that can contribute is prone to collapse and animal damage. Replace it with a significantly to wasted energy. Leaking or poorly insulated ductwork properly sealed metal version. throughout a manufactured home also results in poorly cooled and LACK OF INSULATION. Insulation in walls, floors and ceilings in heated living spaces. manufactured homes may fall short of the recommended Inefficient heating and cooling systems in manufactured homes R-38 value for South Carolina homes. If it is easily accessible, have also been shown to negatively impact indoor air quality. In adding additional insulation will help. warm, humid climates, poorly ducted systems can cause severe It may take a couple of weekends and a few hundred mold, mildew and floor buckling. One study found that roughly onedollars, but basic repairs can yield significant savings. The fifth of manufactured-home residents report suffering from indoor key is to get out there and start hunting for the savings lurking under and inside your manufactured home. air-quality problems, such as draftiness, stuffiness or persistent odors.

TOUCHSTONE ENERGY

MANUFACTURED HOMES,

Evidence suggests that retrofitting manufactured homes with a ductless heat pump (DHP) could improve energy efficiency and reduce heating and cooling loads. DHPs do not require ductwork to deliver conditioned air to the home and therefore bypass many of the problems with traditional HVAC systems.

DHPs are also called mini-split heat pumps—mini, because they are suitable for conditioning smaller areas, and split, because they consist of a separate outside compressor and one or more inside air-handling units mounted on walls or ceilings.

Refrigerant lines—insulated copper tubing—connect both sides of the system, and users control the temperature with either a handheld remote or a programmable thermostat.

A 2012 study funded by the Bonneville Power Administration found that DHPs in manufactured Ductless heat pumps consist of an homes can cut annual energy use outdoor compressor and condenser unit and indoor air handlers by more than 6,000 kilowatt-hours connected by refrigerant lines. Indoor of electricity per year, or an average units can be installed in several rooms overall load reduction of 30 percent. to provide efficient zone or wholehouse heating and cooling.

—BRIAN SLOBODA

—THOMAS KIRK

GONE FISHIN’ The Vektor Fish & Game Forecast provides feeding and migration times. Major periods can bracket the peak by an hour. Minor peaks, ½ hour before and after.

Minor

JUNE

AM Major

Minor

PM Major

17 4:07 11:37 11:37 6:52 18 — 4:37 7:22 12:07 19 — 5:07 7:52 12:37 20 12:52 5:37 8:22 1:07 21 1:37 6:22 9:07 1:37 22 2:07 6:52 9:37 2:07 23 2:52 7:37 10:22 2:52 24 3:52 8:37 10:52 3:37 25 4:52 9:37 11:37 4:22 26 11:07 6:07 5:22 12:22 27 — 7:22 1:07 6:22 28 1:22 8:22 7:52 2:52 29 2:07 9:22 9:07 4:22 30 2:52 10:22 10:22 5:22

Minor

AM Major

Minor

PM Major

JULY

1 3:37 11:07 11:07 6:22 2 4:22 11:52 12:07 7:07 3 — 5:07 7:52 12:37 4 — 5:52 8:22 1:07 5 1:22 6:37 9:07 1:52 6 2:07 7:22 9:37 2:22 7 2:52 7:52 10:07 2:52 8 3:52 8:37 10:37 3:37 9 4:52 9:22 11:22 4:07 10 10:52 6:07 4:37 11:52 11 — 7:22 12:52 12:22 12 — 8:22 3:22 6:22 13 1:07 9:22 8:07 4:52 14 1:52 9:52 9:37 5:37 15 2:37 10:37 10:37 6:07 16 3:22 11:07 11:22 6:37

SCLIVING.COOP | JUNE 2016 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

9

Dialogue

What you can learn on a back road Just to the side of Highway 17 near McClellanville sits Clammer Dave’s Sustainable Gourmet operation, a business that uses ­centuries-old techniques to produce, arguably, some of the best oysters and clams in the world.

Owner Dave Belanger’s oysters, called Caper’s Blades, appear on the plates of the best fine-dining restaurants from Charleston (Fig, Husk) to New York (Locanda Verde) and have been featured in Southern Living, Bon Appetit, Wine Spectator, Vogue and Garden & Gun. Not bad for someone who grew up raising cattle on a farm in Virginia.

As it turns out, that agricultural upbringing, with its focus on accounting, production, equipment, payroll and managing costs, was the essential element missing in many local maricultural (that’s agriculture in salt water) ventures run by marine biologists who had no background in business. Belanger’s consulting work—he specialized in showing distressed companies how to work their way to profitability—led him to South Carolina when he agreed to help manage struggling operations in the Lowcountry.

An avid sea kayaker, Belanger fell in love with our coast, and when he decided to take a break from the corporate world, he took some clam seeds (baby clams) and randomly placed them in the waters around Charleston. In the process, he set about learning as much as he could about mariculture.

He soon added oysters to the roster, and after a couple years of intense experimentation and research, he perfected a method of harvesting native adult oysters, then separating them from the cluster using a chisel and stone. Called sculpting, it’s an old, African-American technique dating back hundreds of years that Belanger read about in a book on the history of oysters.

After sculpting the oysters, Belanger then does what others don’t. Rather than sell them immediately, he puts them back in the water (but held by netting above the mud) for another six weeks. During that time, the bruised oysters heal, fatten up and are thoroughly cleansed by clear ocean currents. The result is a flavor that is clean, spectacular and, by all accounts (including mine), like no other.

When I look around the state at our co-ops and our communities, I see the same commitment to quality that produces Caper’s Blades. I see people with a strong sense of place, whether it’s the mountains, the Midlands, the piedmont or the coast. On back roads across South Carolina, people like Belanger, whether from here or not, connect with the special resources we have, treasure them, protect them and turn them into products as good as any in the world.

Our cooperative employees take the same pride in their service to our members. As South Carolinians, too—whether by birth or by choice—they cherish the quality of life and natural resources our state has to offer.

Like Caper’s Blades (“blade” is an old, African-American term for an oyster), South Carolina is home to many world-class products and people. To find them, all you have to do is turn down a back road every once in a while.

YOU CAN MISS IT.

MIKE COUICK

President and CEO, The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina

10

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JUNE 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS Santee Cooper welcomes Volvo Cars to the Palmetto State! And why wouldn’t they come here? We lead the nation in automobile exports and Southern hospitality. Santee Cooper, working with the South Carolina Power Team and the state’s electric cooperatives, will be along for the ride to help Volvo drive toward Brighter Tomorrows, Today.

www.scpowerteam.com • www.santeecooper.com

EnergyQ&A

BY JIM DULLEY

Tune up your AC for cool savings

Q

My central air conditioner gets professionally serviced periodically and is running fine. But are there any simple, low-tech maintenance tasks I can do between service calls to improve efficiency?

A

The most important factor for efficient airconditioner operation is getting maximum airflow through the outdoor condenser coils. it’s hottest outdoors, so it uses more electricity trying to keep your home at a cooler temperature. Setting the thermostat higher saves energy and money, and it reduces peak electricity demand, which minimizes future electric-rate increases and greenhousegas emissions.

The most important factor for efficient air-conditioner operation is 12

Excess debris in your air-conditioning unit can affect its performance. First, turn off electric power to the unit, then remove a side cover and clean out any accumulated leaves and twigs.

getting maximum airflow through the outdoor condenser coils. This airflow cools the hot refrigerant, which then flows back through the cooling coils inside your house.

Clear the area on the grill side of the outdoor unit, where the condenser coils are exposed. Landscaping, shrubs and weeds may have grown up around it. Cut plants and branches back to provide at least 2 feet of clearance.

Similarly, don’t rest garden tools or other items against it or on top of the fan air outlet.

Inspect the inside of the outdoor unit for excessive debris by looking through the grill. There will always be some debris (leaves, sticks, etc.), but if it looks excessive, clean it out. Always switch off the circuit breaker inside the house and make sure no electric power is flowing to the unit before reaching inside it.

The easiest way to clean it out is to remove the side access cover. It doesn’t have to be squeaky clean inside, but remove as much debris as possible by hand. Using the tip of a knife, gently

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JUNE 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

JAMES DULLEY

There are several things you can do to keep your central air conditioner running at maximum efficiency and cooling output. Keep in mind, though, that it’s a complicated piece of equipment, so you still need regular, professional service calls.

These units have many pressure settings you won’t be able to check yourself.

My first suggestion—not really a tune-up item—is to run your air conditioner less during the peak afternoon heat by setting the thermostat a few degrees higher. An automaticsetback or programmable thermostat with at least three setback periods (day, afternoon, night) is ideal for this.

Air-conditioner efficiency drops when

separate any fins that have been bent together to allow airflow through them. Don’t try to straighten them too much, or they may break off.

Make sure all the screws are tight when you replace the side access cover. If they are loose, air can leak in through the gap and not go through the coils. Check the tightness of the screws twice a year.

It’s equally important to have adequate airflow through the cooling coils in the indoor blower unit. Remove the access panel over the indoor coils and blower. Use the brush attachment on a vacuum cleaner to remove the dust.

Use a damp rag to wipe dirt off any stubborn areas.

If the blower area is very dirty, install a higher-quality filter for better efficiency. When the air conditioner is running, check for leaky duct joints, and seal them with aluminum or heavy-duty duct tape.

Send questions to Energy Q&A, South Carolina Living, 808 Knox Abbott Drive, Cayce, SC 29033, email energyqa@scliving.coop or fax (803) 739-3041.

FIND YOUR BURIED TREASURE

GREAT NEWS, SOUTH CAnRwiOllLIsaNveAyo! u

New legislatio g big $$$ on heating and coolin4, signed into law H. 387 On February 16, Governor Haley me tax credit for which provides for a 25% state inco s. alla residential geothermal inst tion

PROSPERITY, S.C.

WATERFURNACE UNITS QUALIFY FOR A 30% FEDERAL TAX CREDIT

S.C. residents can enjoy:

30% federal l 55% INCOME TAX CREDIT = 25% state + income tax credits

l 70% SAVINGS on heating, cooling and

hot water

energy consumption

TAX CREDIT l $11,000–$27,000 COMBINED INCOME for the average homeowner

There’s never been a better time to invest al a free and your loc t. Cal You may not in realize but home is l sitting on rmal uni theyour geo a newit, ut the abo re mo rn renewable supply of energy.

A WaterFurnace geothermal comfort lea to WaterFurnace dealer today ing stay le whi system taps into gthe stored solar energy in your backyard oy enj amazin savings you will to provide savings of up on rheating, ’round. cooling and hot e all yea abl70% comfortto

water. Contact your local WaterFurnace dealer today to learn how to tap into your buried treasure.

YOUR LOCAL WATERFURNACE DEALERS

FULMER

H E AT I N G & C O O L I N G

Chapin/Newberry

DENNIS & PAM DISCOVERED A BIG TREASURE IN THEIR YARD How did you learn about WaterFurnace?

We first heard about geothermal HVAC when we visited a home-building expo. After doing some research, we found that WaterFurnace was the premier provider of this type of equipment.

Why did you choose a geothermal system over a conventional unit?

The choice for geothermal was, as the kids say, a “no brainer.” The initial investment was higher, but the payback time and tax credits made this an excellent long-term investment.

Are you enjoying a lower power bill?

We had the geothermal system, with hot-water generator, installed in a new, 5,000-squarefoot, all-electric home that is well insulated. Our average electric bill for the past year was less than $200 per month.

What are your favorite features?

FULMER HEATING & COOLING

(803) 597-3092 • fulmerheatcool.com

Charleston

BERKELEY HEATING & AIR

GeoPro Master Dealer (843) 779-3551 • berkeleyheating.com

Upstate

CAROLINA HEATING SERVICE INC.

GeoPro Master Dealer (864) 412-2651 • carolinaheating.com

Myrtle Beach/Georgetown

WACCAMAW HEATING & COOLING

GeoPro Master Dealer (843) 235-1158 • waccamawgeo.com

Rock Hill/Charlotte

PANTHER HEATING & COOLING, INC.

GeoPro Master Dealer (803) 792-0788 • pantherhvac.com

Besides the obvious—the monetary savings—the system is quiet. There is no annoying drone outside the house as with a conventional system.

Would you recommend a WaterFurnace system to your friends and family?

We would recommend the WaterFurnace system to anyone without reservation! Our general contractor has shown our home to several clients, and we have always made a point of discussing the geothermal system with them.

How did you select your contractor?

Our general contractor recommended Fulmer Heating and Air. After meeting with them and discussing the benefits of the geothermal system, we knew Fulmer would take great care of our needs.

Contact your local WaterFurnace dealer today to learn how you can discover treasure in your backyard.

visit waterfurnace.com WaterFurnace is a registered trademark of WaterFurnace International, Inc.

visit waterfurnace.com

SCLIVING.COOP | JUNE 2016 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

13

SmartChoice

BY RON AIKEN

Pet pampering

Humans aren’t the only ones who can enjoy the latest in technology.

Check out these ga dgets designed to m ake your pet cuter, your house cleaner and your life easier.

SAFEKEEPING LOOK WHO’S TALKING NEW CALL FROM...YOUR PET? And you thought you’d seen it all.

With PetChatz HD treat dispenser and videophone, the touch of your pet’s paw can trigger a treat and a phone call to you, so you can have some face time and a chat! $380. (855) 444-6544; petchatz.com.

SEE SPOT RUN Want to know when your pets are getting into the garbage or chewing your shoes? Keep a virtual eye on them with the Petcube interactive Wi-Fi pet monitor. A wide-angle camera keeps watch and sends images to your smartphone. The two-way audio lets you talk to them, and you can even play a remote game of laser tag. $199.

(844) 747-2823; petcube.com/store.

FENCE THEM IN We love our animals, but sometimes they go where we don’t want them to. For the wandering souls in your home kennel, PetSafe’s Stay+Play Wireless Fence and Receiver Collar offer a portable containment system with a large radius and a tone-only correction option. $300. (888) 280-4331; amazon.com.

READY REFRESHMENT Dogs and cats need plenty of water, especially during a hot South Carolina summer. The PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain keeps water in constant supply, with a free-falling waterfall to entice pets to drink more. $60. (888) 8399638; petsmart.com.

HEALTHY HOUNDS

WORKOUT BUDDIES While you’re logging steps on your FitBit, the FitBark is helping your dog earn BarkPoints, so you can meet daily exercise goals together. Set it with customizable options to suit your dog’s activity level. $70.

(617) 755-6471; fitbark.com.

FIT PET Just like their people, dogs live better with healthy habits. You can monitor and promote your dog’s fitness with the Whistle Activity Monitor. The Whistle app helps track food intake, sleep, medications and activity patterns, so you’ll always know the state of your pup’s health. $80. (844) 594-4785; whistle.com.

NO SQUAWKING So, for some reason, you have a bird.

We don’t judge here. But we do know there may be times you wish you could block out the racket you have no control over. For those times, try the Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise-Cancelling Headphones. $300.

(800) 379-2073; bose.com.

14

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JUNE 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

LOOKS COUNT

PRIMO PAWDICURE Nail care helps prevent dogs from scratching furniture, doors and the occasional face when the frolicking accidentally gets real. The lightweight Wahl Professional Animal Ultimate Nail Grinder Kit lets you give your pet a professional-grade trim at a not-so-professional price.

The 11-piece kit includes sanding bands of varied sizes and coarseness. $57. (888) 280-4331; amazon.com.

SUPERSTAR STYLING Ever wanted to be like those people on TV who sculpt their dog’s hair into crazy themes for a contest? You could give it a try with the Andis AGC Super 2-Speed Professional Animal Clipper with blade. This tool runs cool and quiet and works with all coats and breeds. $165. (888) 280-4331; amazon.com.

HEAVY-DUTY CLEANUP If you’re grooming your dog, you’re probably making a mess while getting the pooch perfect. Small, light and touchless, the EyeVac Professional is an electric dustpan with infrared sensors to help detect and clean up that pet hair, dirt and debris. $129.

(800) 313-5470; eyevac.com.

$

206,990

The Worthington

2923 sq ft

New Homes Built On Your Land Visit or Contact us:

Charleston (843) 879-8661 Greenville (864) 881-1568 Augusta (706) 680-6568

www.Lockridgehomes.com Central Cooling Systems Sales and Service No Interest if paid in full within 12 months* when you use a qualifying Sears card. Interest will be charged to your account from the purchase date if the purchase balance is not paid in full within 12 months or if you make a late payment. Minimum payments required.* See back for Important Deferred Interest details. OFFER ENDS 8/31/16.

Call 1-877-301-7051

for your FREE In-Home Consultation! www.shs.com/PSDSCLIVHVAC

Offer Code: 052-470

*IMPORTANT DEFERRED INTEREST DETAILS (when offered); Interest will be charged to your account from the purchase date if the purchase balance is not paid in full within the promotional period or if you make a late payment. Minimum payments required. With credit approval, for qualifying purchases made on a Sears card (Sears Commercial One® accounts excluded) Sears Home Improvement Account (sm) valid on installed sales only. Offer is only valid for consumer accounts in good standing; is subject to change without notice; see store for details. May not be combined with any other promotional offer. Sears cards: As of 5/3/16, APR for purchases: Variable 7.49%-27.49% or non-variable 14.00%-29.99%. Minimum interest charge: up to $2. See card agreement for details, including the APRs and fees applicable to you. Sears cards are issued by Citibank, N.A. Home Improvement products not available in all areas. Sears Home Improvement Products, Inc. is a division of Sears Roebuck and Co. The ‘Sears Home Services’ brand logo is used with the permission of Sears, Roebuck and Co. The following licenses are held by or on behalf of Sears Home Improvement Products, Inc.: SC (Res. Bldr. #20195; Gen. Contr. #105836-BD5; HVAC Res. #RBH-919; Mechanical Contractor #110634); Some services performed by Sears associates. Other services and installation performed by Sears-Authorized licensed contractors; additional Sears license information available upon request. Electrical services not available in NJ. Sears, Roebuck and Co. is licensed under the following, and related Ronald A. Katz Technology Licensing, L.P. United States Patents: 5, 128, 984,; 5, 561, 707; 5,684, 863; 5, 828, 734; 5, 917, 893; 5, 974, 120; and others.

SCLIVING.COOP | JUNE 2016 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

15

16

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JUNE 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

HIDING SOMEWHERE IN

Police K-9 units work as a team to keep the bad guys at bay

Horry County’s impound facility, amid row after row of confiscated vehicles, there’s a tiny stash of heroin wrapped in Kevlar and tucked

BY JAN A. IGOE in a Crown Victoria. It’s Roscoe’s job to find it.

Myrtle Beach Police Pfc. Kenny Harlow watches his partner’s nose surf the bumper of the unfamiliar vehicle and disappear behind a wheel well during a morning training drill. Roscoe’s tail starts wagging double time as he strains harder against his taut leash. Like a child on Christmas Eve, his excitement is palpable.

As Roscoe details the car with his paws, his nostrils begin quivering with the scent. He knows he’s close.

Suddenly, his tail stops in mid-wag. Roscoe sits statue still, quietly staring at the spot where officers will find their heroin, which he couldn’t care less about. When they score their prize, Roscoe gets his. One ratty tennis ball coming right up.

Top dog

PHOTOS BY MATT SILFER

MILTON MORRIS

No matter how much you like dogs, if you’re in possession of an illegal substance, you don’t want to meet Roscoe. With a nose that’s 10,000 times more sensitive than any human’s, he is trained to detect five narcotic scents, track suspects and find weapons a perp might try to hide from officers. On his last recertification test, the purebred German wirehaired pointer scored 299 out of a possible 300 test points (though Harlow thinks his dog rightfully earned that last point).

By many accounts, Roscoe is one of the top police dogs in the Southeast. His sniffing power has helped the Myrtle Beach K-9 unit track dozens of suspects, seize drugs and cash and get illegal weapons off the street. Roscoe’s nose recently led to the arrest of a known gang member in possession of marijuana, crack, cocaine, meth and heroin. Police also seized $1,160 in cash, a stolen handgun and a Dodge Charger.

Friendly, scruffy Roscoe doesn’t look the part of a formidable, fourlegged officer of the law. Big Bird would have an easier time intimidating a bad guy. In fact, suspects being placed under arrest on the K-9’s say-so have been known to protest.

“We hear it all the time at traffic stops,” says Harlow. “People just laugh and say, ‘What is that? That’s not a real police dog! It doesn’t count.’ ”

Armed with a nose that’s 10,000 times more sensitive than any human’s, Roscoe can detect the faintest trace of five narcotic scents. His reward for a successful find: his tennis ball and praise from his partner.

SCLIVING.COOP | JUNE 2016 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

17

A NOSE FOR TROUBLE

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

BY JAN A. IGOE PHOTOS BY MATT SILFER

Besides daily and weekly exercises, K-9 units working in Horry County get together monthly to hone their skills. The drills bring together an impressive array of teams at different locations, ranging from the county impound yard to Horry Electric Cooperative’s ware­ house in Conway.

Here are some of the teams we met at a recent training session.

Just another homeless puppy

Horry County Police Sgt. Craig Hutchinson and Cara

Don’t bother looking for heroic German shepherds or acute Belgian Malinois in Roscoe’s lineage. He wasn’t imported, and he didn’t arrive certified and street-ready like many of his peers. He was rescued off the street by animal-control officer Rebecca Ewing.

“Normally, he would have gone to the county shelter. He was so adorable and tired, he fell asleep in my lap,” says Ewing, who fostered him for a while. “No one came looking for him or called about him.”

Ewing named him Roscoe and showed him around the police station, ­figuring someone might adopt him before he went to the shelter. Word of the adorable pup—a massive head and four giant paws attached to a tiny body—reached the Street Crimes Division.

“They weren’t really looking for another dog, but the lieutenant was in the process of revamping the canine unit,” says Ewing.

18

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JUNE 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

“If these dogs ever learn to drive, I’m out of a job,” says Horry County Police Sgt. Craig Hutchinson, who handles K-9 Cara, age 8. Her prize is a Kong toy. Like her fellow narcotics dogs, Cara can detect even trace amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, hashish, marijuana and ecstasy. And she doesn’t need a warrant. “The Supreme Court has upheld that sniffing free air is not a search,” Hutchinson says. “The air is not your private abode.”

Myrtle Beach Police Chief Warren Gall did some research on the breed and liked what he read—smart hunting dogs with keen noses and the agility to work on any terrain. “I had a feeling he was special,” says Gall.

When Roscoe had sufficiently grown into his paws, he was transferred to Custom Canine Unlimited, the Atlantaarea training facility that supplies Myrtle Beach with ­certified police dogs.

“At first, I was worried that it would cost more than buying a street-ready dog. There were so many variables and unknowns,” says A.J. Vargas, who runs the training facility.

The department considered Vargas’ caution but had total faith in Roscoe. “If it started to go bad, they’d have a great department mascot,” Vargas says.

Roscoe had a strong affinity for tennis balls, so the trainers put one inside a sock and let him chase it around to hone his prey drive—the instinct to chase something that’s moving.

“Then we build an association with an odor,” Vargas says. “Methamphetamine and cocaine mean nothing to the dog, but we build meaning around those odors. The dog

Horry County Police Cpl. Jeff Hamilton and Bizi

Myrtle Beach Police Cpl. Chris Smith and Alli

There’s a popular myth circulating that police get their dogs addicted to drugs, and that’s what makes them search. Smith, Myrtle Beach’s 2014 Officer of the Year, scoffs at how many people actually believe it. “Two micrograms of heroin could kill a dog,” he says. Partnered with Alli, a black German shepherd donated by the Myrtle Beach Women’s Club, Smith supervises the K-9 unit. At age 9, Alli is the department’s senior K-9.

German shepherd Bizi, 7, handled by Horry County Police Cpl. Jeff Hamilton, is a “bomb dog,” trained in the detection of explosives. The team is often called in to sweep airports and hotels prior to the arrival of highlevel Washington folks—they can’t say whom, of course.

Bomb-detection teams try to fly under the radar and often work in plain clothes.

“People think I’m just some guy with a dog,” Hamilton says. “We don’t talk about how many calls we get. We don’t let anyone see the equipment, and we don’t tell them which odors the dogs can detect.”

dogs between shifts. After any chase, Harlow goes over Roscoe with a fine-tooth comb, checking his paws for burrs and his body for scratches, cuts or injuries.

A perfect match “It’s not for everyone,” says Harlow.

“There’s three times as much paperwork K-9 units are composed of law enforceas normal.

You’re responsible for grooming, ment officers—the human kind—who nail trimming, ongoing training, maintaining team up with specially trained dogs. indoor kennels … there are no dirty habitats.”

Harlow was new to the Myrtle Beach —K-9 TRAINER A.J. VARGAS “It’s a huge commitment—taking on a dog canine unit when he met Roscoe but had plenty of experience with hunting dogs. The that starts working around 3 or 4 and may live first week he paired up with his new partner in K-9 school, 16 years. They are work animals, not pets, but they become he knew he had a keeper. family,” says Cpl. Chris Smith, who supervises the Myrtle “Roscoe’s very loyal and hardworking, but you can’t treat Beach K-9 unit. “The desire to please and drive of the dog him with a heavy hand,” Harlow says. “You can’t yell at him depends on its partner. If the original handler and dog get or snap the leash. He’ll shut down. I have to correct him separated, it’s usually hard to get the dog to bond with with a firm command, then back to praise. He needs to be another handler.” loved on. A lot of times, he’s working just for that.”

A bark worse than his bite The secret to every successful K-9 team is the indelible bond that forms between the animals and their human In some parts of South Carolina, law enforcement agenpartners, who must manage the care and feeding of their cies rely on K-9s to physically apprehend suspects. Some has to think: ‘When I find that odor, it’s always pleasant. I’ll get a reward. I’ll please my handler.’ ”

‘The dog has to think: When I find that odor, it’s always pleasant.

I’ll get a reward.’

SCLIVING.COOP | JUNE 2016 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

19

A NOSE FOR TROUBLE

PROTECTING K-9 OFFICERS

BY JAN A. IGOE

20

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JUNE 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

MILTON MORRIS

Life isn’t all tennis balls and head rubs for working K-9s. It’s dangerous work, particularly Brandon Surratt for apprehension dogs that and Hyco race after criminals in perilous situations.

Richland County K-9 officer Fargo was killed in 2011 chasing down an armed-robbery suspect. The Belgian Malinois was shot three times while protecting deputies. Fargo was reportedly the first K-9 in South Carolina to be killed in action.

In October, Deputy Brandon Surratt—father of three—and his partner, Hyco, a top-certified K-9 with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, were pursuing suspected carjackers who fled from a traffic stop. One suspect fired at police, mortally wounding Hyco, who had survived a previous attempt on his life and apprehended more than 100 suspects during his six-year tenure.

Some 1,500 mourners attended the German shepherd’s memorial, including Surratt’s heartbroken young daughters and K-9 teams from Myrtle Beach. “There wasn’t a dry eye in the house,” says Myrtle Beach Police Pfc. Kenny Harlow, who attended with Roscoe. “I can’t imagine what Surratt was going through.”

Lt. Sheila B. Cole, public information officer for Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, was overwhelmed by the community’s outpouring of love for Hyco. “The citizens realized these dogs are there to protect them, too.”

Six months after Hyco’s death, Surratt went to Columbia to urge South Carolina lawmakers to enact stiffer penalties for harming police dogs.

“Hyco absolutely saved my life,” says Surratt, who now works with the Greenville County Sheriff’s Department. “A harsher punishment for those that harm police K-9s is something South Carolina needs.

They are so much more than just a tool. These dogs are a huge asset to every community and deserve to be protected.”

Harming a police dog or horse is a currently a misdemeanor punishable by up to five years in prison or fines up to $1,000, but Hyco’s death prompted South Carolina legislators to raise the stakes.

If the bill passed by the Senate in May becomes law, guilty parties will face fines up to $30,000 or up to 10 years in jail and community service. They’ll also be responsible for the cost of replacing the animal.

Trained police dogs start around $8,500, but the price to produce a team like Surratt and Hyco can’t be measured in dollars alone, Cole says. They were among the top certified units in the country, winning the American Police Canine Association’s President’s Award for Professional Excellence in 2012.

“It’s high time we stiffened the penalties,” says Cole. “These dogs are valuable tools for law enforcement. They’re officers. They have badges, and they are members of our family.”

dogs even wear bulletproof vests. Along the coast, K-9s are primarily used to find narcotics and explosives and to track people, but not for apprehension work, where the dog is trained to bite and hold a suspect.

“We’re a family beach,” says Capt. Kevin Heins, who commands the Myrtle Beach Police Uniform Patrol Division and champions expanding the K-9 teams. “We don’t need that fierce ‘bite dog’ mentality. We’re not that kind of agency.”

While Roscoe isn’t trained as an apprehension dog, he does have a skill that comes in handy during tense situations.

“Roscoe is the only K-9 we have that will bark on command,” says Harlow. “He’s so loud, it sounds like a 200pound wolf is ready to eat you.”

That bark convinced two suspects in a car theft to come out of their hotel room, when repeated requests from the police had failed. Harlow showed up with Roscoe and had him deliver his booming baritone. Moments later, the door cracked open, and two sets of nervous hands slipped through, ready to surrender.

The back seat of Harlow’s police cruiser has been replaced with a climate‑controlled kennel area. Remote sensors alert him whenever it’s too hot or cold for Roscoe’s safety.

“That’s why the dogs are such a great asset. You want it to end peacefully, with no one getting hurt,” says Harlow, who also extols his dog’s PR value. “In today’s climate, people don’t always trust someone wearing a police uniform. Roscoe helps kids at an early age learn that we’re here to help. We hate hearing parents tell kids that we’ll take them to jail if they’re bad. That’s the last thing we want.”

Luckily, Roscoe is as comfortable going Christmas shopping with a bunch of kids (he helps knock everything off the shelves) as pursuing felons.

“Partnering with Roscoe has been the highlight of my career. He’ll do anything for me. He’s proven it time and time again. Anywhere we go, people know him,” says Harlow. “The day that me and Roscoe are done, it will be a rough day for me, for sure.”

SC Life

Stories

Family adventures

Pierce, Tanya and Rick Curren Easley Reality TV stars and producers of Scaly Adventures, now filming their fourth season to air on the Daystar Television Network BEFORE THEY WERE TV STARS: Pierce was a home-school student, dad Rick was in medical equipment sales and mom Tanya was a teacher before becoming a motivational speaker and author CO-OP AFFILIATION: Members of Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative RESIDENTS OF:

MILTON MORRIS

CLAIM TO FAME:

Pierce Curren isn’t short on confidence. Or talent.

Or enthusiasm. And why should he be?

The 15-year-old Upstate resident and his parents share a common passion for life, learning and, thanks to some good fortune, a successful, selfproduced television show called Scaly Adventures that is broadcast on 11 channels across the country and internationally.

The show is filmed and edited by parents Tanya and Rick (they also appear on camera) and centers on Pierce’s fascination with snakes, reptiles and all manner of animals. As a family, the Currens visit exotic places, interview animal experts and teach important life lessons to their young viewers.

“Every episode has the underlying message of teaching children to overcome their fears and follow their dreams,” Tanya Curren says.

Pierce began keeping snakes and reptiles at age 8. On camera and at in-person events, he handles animals with the skill and poise of a professional herpetologist—which happens to be his dream job—and enjoys sharing his knowledge with other kids.

“I like snakes, because it’s just something you don’t see people walking around with, and it triggers such an intense emotion in people,” he says. “It’s a great place to start to share a message to live life on the positive side. Take the better things out of life. Get outside and enjoy the world, and do what you’re created to do.”

Dad Rick says Pierce’s outgoing nature, positive life messages and love for the outdoors have made the experience of learning how to write, produce, film and edit a television show worth every minute.

“We’ve taken this journey together as a family, and those memories will never go away,” he says.

“It’s been an incredible adventure, and we’re going to keep doing it and having fun as we go.”

—RON AIKEN

GET MORE To learn more about the show and watch clips from the first three seasons, visit scalyadventures.com and facebook.com/scalyadventures.

SCLIVING.COOP | JUNE 2016 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

21

SCTravels

BY RON AIKEN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIC SMITH

Flying

through the trees Summer adventure soars to new heights on zip-line tours across the Carolinas

Nate Addy of Hilton Head Island steps off into his zip-line adventure. Top: Aailyah White from Bluffton takes her turn flying through the trees.

22

STEPPING OFF A 75-FOOT-TALL ­PLATFORM​

—​with nothing between you and the ground except a steel cable, canvas harness and a whole lot of faith—may not sound like a fun thing to do, but when it’s part of a zip-line tour through a lush forest canopy, it’s a recipe for adrenaline-fueled adventure.

On a gorgeous Saturday in April, my family and I made the drive to ZipLine Hilton Head to experience the thrill of flying through the trees on a zip-line canopy tour. Located next to Broad Creek Marina, and served

by Palmetto Electric Cooperative, the park offers two-hour guided tours of a Lowcountry forest, complete with scenic views of the saltwater cut and plenty of high-speed thrills.

With three children in tow, we knew not everyone could (or wanted to) brave the 75-foot maximum height of the zip-line course; plus, there are weight limits to consider. The lightest person ZipLine Hilton Head’s canopy

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JUNE 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

tour allows is 80 pounds. Any lighter, our guides explained, and a person might get stuck in the middle of the line. On the upper end, the weight limit is 250 pounds.

Fortunately for families with children (or anyone not so keen on heights), there’s an alternative: the Aerial Adventure, which has six lowaltitude challenge courses filled with climbing walls, rope bridges and even a skateboard ride in the sky. Children can play while remaining safely tethered at all times to overhead cables that prevent falls. The only requirement is that a child be at least 42 inches tall.

With the kids off to enjoy their adventure, the wife and I were ready for our high-speed run through the trees. We signed the required waivers, made the requisite jokes about who would inherit our worldly goods and geared up.

A quick note about equipment— you don’t have to bring anything with

you, though comfortable clothes are recommended and lace-up shoes are required, since you’ll be landing, at times, on some pretty slender platforms where traction makes a big difference. Beyond that, ZipLine Hilton Head provides everything else, including the helmet, the harness and the gloves.

Before we could get started, we had to complete “ground school,” which is where you learn to brake (by dragging your gloved hand on the wire behind the pulley) and follow your guide’s hand signals (STOP! mostly).

Our guides, Lacey Mattox and Alex Bales, delivered this information in an entertaining yet informative way and gave us great confidence that soaring through canopy at 35 miles per hour would be just as natural as breathing.

The adrenaline kicked in when we climbed the stairs to the first of eight lines that gradually escalate in height and speed. I can’t deny there were jitters stepping off into the void on the first line. But, by the time we reached the final, side-by-side, dual zip line to the finish line, my wife, Leesa (did I mention she is afraid of heights?), was confident enough to challenge me to a race—and won.

I can’t deny there were jitters stepping off into the void on the first line.

The only time either of us was actually afraid was after the first ride.

There’s a hanging rope bridge I’m certain no one told us about, and the boards, I swear, were spaced about 6 feet apart. (They weren’t, but it felt like they were.) Leesa and I were doing fine navigating the planks, until Lacey decided it would be fun to, you know, swing it a bit, at which point we briefly plotted her death.

Kidding aside, your zip-line guides are a part of the adventure, telling jokes, helping out with photos and gently pushing guests to test their limits. In short, they make sure you

Will Hamilton, visiting from Ohio with his family, maneuvers through the Aerial Adventure course.

Zip tips KNOW THE LINGO. How is a canopy tour different from a regular zip line or an aerial

adventure challenge course? Andrea Canberg, owner of Charleston Zip Line Adventures, explains it this way: A canopy tour always involves zip-lining through treetops and usually incorporates a study of local plants and wildlife along with high-speed thrills and awesome scenery. Zip-line courses that aren’t billed as canopy tours usually take place in open environments—the thrill of the ride is the sole attraction. Challenge courses, sometimes called aerial adventures, are suspended obstacle courses where guests can test their balance, agility and strength while tethered by a zip-line harness to an overhead cable that prevents falls. “Aerial adventure challenge courses are a lot of fun, but you have to be a little more physically fit to do them,” Canberg says.

BOOK AHEAD. And don’t be late for your scheduled tour. At popular parks like ZipLine

Hilton Head, there may be as many as 600 people a day riding the cables during the busy summer season, says manager Grace Metropolis. To ensure the best experience for all guests, groups are limited to a maximum of eight people and go out on a tight schedule, usually every 15 minutes.

BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR WEIGHT. Adult zip-line courses usually require guests to weigh at least 70–80 pounds, but usually no more than 250–275 pounds. These restrictions are in place for a variety of reasons, including insurance requirements, but it’s not a limitation of the cables or harnesses used. “They can hold thousands of pounds,” Canberg says.

Courses designed exclusively for children are built to work with lower minimum-weight requirements that suit pint-sized adventurers.

SAFETY FIRST. Reputable zip lines operating by the standards of the Association for

Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) are extremely safety conscious. “We have superhigh-quality training, and we have daily inspections of all our gear,” Canberg says. “We have someone ride the course every morning before the first guests to make sure no obstacles have fallen in the way. We want people to have fun and be safe.”

Guide Lacey Mattox models the required gear.

SCLIVING.COOP | JUNE 2016 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

23

SC TRAVELS

Zip-line operators in the Carolinas Thrill seekers can now find first-rate canopy tours, aerial adventures, ropes courses and kid-friendly zip-line amusement rides across South and North Carolina.

S O U T H C A RO L I N A Charleston Zip Line Adventures 1152 Guerins Bridge Road, Awendaw (843) 928-3947 charlestonziplineadventures.com Opening in June, Charleston’s only zip-line canopy tour features a 65-foot starting tower and seven cables to ride on your way back down to earth. There’s also a climbing wall and a kid’s zip line for thrill seekers ages 5–13. The 10-acre park is served by Berkeley Electric Cooperative.

ZipLine Hilton Head & Aerial Adventure Hilton Head 33 Broad Creek Marina Way, Hilton Head (843) 682-6000 ziplinehiltonhead.com

Soar + Explore—Wonderworks 1313 Celebrity Circle, Myrtle Beach (843) 448-7627 soarandexploremb.com A challenge course and a kid-friendly zip line—50 feet high and running for 1,000 feet over a man-made lake—add high-flying fun to the quirky amusement park.

Zip the Zoo—Riverbanks Zoo & Garden 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia (803) 779-8717 riverbanks.org Soar through the treetops on seven different zip lines, and finish your tour with a 1,000foot glide across the Saluda River.

Adventurers can enjoy canopy tours complete with views of Broad Creek as they race down eight zip lines through towering oaks and loblolly pines. The park is served by Palmetto Electric Cooperative.

Guides have a bit of fun with guests on the suspension bridge at ZipLine Hilton Head.

have fun while keeping everyone safe.

They also share interesting facts about the forest ecology and wildlife of the island, pointing out things like the new raccoon family that’s taken up residence on the course, the ospreys soaring above and the Atlantic bottlenose dolphins and sharks swimming in Broad Creek below.

Zip-lining isn’t physically taxing, as long as you can climb a few flights of stairs (there’s plenty of water on the landings and time to catch your breath, if need be). There’s no need to break a sweat—just enjoy the scenery and the ride, says Grace Metropolis, the manager of ZipLine Hilton Head, who sums up the experience this way: “We’re here flying through the trees, beautiful breeze, having a blast all the time.”

24

Chattooga Ridge Canopy Tours—Wildwater Chattooga 1251 Academy Road, Long Creek (864) 647-9587 wildwaterrafting.com/portfolio-item/ chattooga-ridge-canopy-tours Begin your zip-line adventure with a 360-degree view of the Blue Ridge Mountains, then fly your way down on 12 dual zip lines that take visitors over four sky bridges and six water crossings.

Canaan Zipline Canopy Tour 3111 Sand Island Road, Rock Hill (803) 327-6932 www.canaanzipline.com The full canopy tour at this Rock Hill outdoor center is a three-hour journey encompassing nine zip lines that run through lush oak forests and make multiple trips across the Catawba River.

Go Ape Zip Line & Treetop Adventure 150 Citizens Circle, Little River (800) 971-8271 goape.com/zip-line/north-myrtle-beach Features five zip-line adventures, including two that cross a 25-acre lake.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JUNE 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

Zip the Zoo over the Saluda River in Columbia.

N O RT H C A RO L I N A The Gorge 166 Honey Bee Drive, Saluda (828) 749-2500 thegorgezipline.com Located just across the state line, The Gorge claims to be the country’s steepest (read: fastest) zip-line canopy tour. A total of 11 lines descend more than 1,100 vertical feet and span 1.25 miles of tree-covered ridges in the Green River Gorge.

COURTESY OF WONDERWORKS

Soar + Explore zip-line ride at Wonderworks in Myrtle Beach.

Boulderline Adventure Programs 456 Boland Drive, Lake Lure (828) 625-4913 boulderlinezip.com If you think zip-lining is thrilling by day, try it after dark on a night zip excursion.

Boulderline Adventure Programs offers family- and kid-friendly tours around their 40‑acre property, as well as a climbing wall.

Nantahala Outdoor Center 13077 Highway 19 West, Bryson City (828) 366-7502 noc.com/plan-your-trip/zip-lines Combine a day of white-water rafting with a thrilling mountaintop zip-line ride that starts 600 feet above the Nantahala Gorge. NOC also offers guests a chance to test their skills at the Zip Line Adventure Park, a challenge course with 16 aerial obstacles to conquer.

Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tours & KidZip 10320 Highway 19 South, Bryson City (866) 319-8870 wildwaterrafting.com/portfolio-item/ nantahala-gorge-canopy-tours/ Get a bird’s-eye view of the Nantahala Gorge

as you ride 13 zip lines (four of them side by side) through 20 acres of lush forest.

Kids ages 4–12 can have their own childsized adventures on the specially designed KidZip lines.

Asheville Zipline Canopy Adventures & Asheville Treetops Adventure Park 1 Resort Drive, Asheville (800) 451-9972 adventureamericaziplinecanopytours.com Eleven zip lines offer high-speed thrills, not to mention scenic views of the Asheville skyline and the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Treetops Adventure Park features aerial courses for adults and a kids-only zip line designed for children ages 4–10.

Navitat Canopy Adventures 242 Poverty Branch Road, Barnardsville (828) 626-3700 navitat.com/asheville-nc With two distinctly different zip-line tours, one tree-based and one stretching from mountaintop to mountaintop, visitors can choose from half-day or full-day adventure tours on Navitat’s 13 zip lines.

U.S. National Whitewater Center offers zip-line adventures in addition to water sports.

U.S. National Whitewater Center 5000 Whitewater Center Parkway, Charlotte (704) 391-3900 usnwc.org/play/land-activities There’s more than rafting and kayaking at the U.S. National Whitewater Center. Step out on your choice of nine challenge courses or two zip-line adventures that cross the park and the surrounding wilderness.

SCLIVING.COOP | JUNE 2016 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

25

INDEPENDENCE DAY

JULY 4, 2016 Celebrate Independence at Hightower Hall with music, games and more!

BATTLE OF HUCK’S DEFEAT

JULY 9 - 10, 2016 Relive the Revolutionary War with our annual battle reenactment.

SUMMER ACTIVITIES

Time Travel Tuesdays & “Windows Into the Past” programs on Thursdays in June & July. chmuseums.org | 803.684.2327

Project assisted by City of Rock Hill & York County A-Tax Program. Visit SC Welcome Centers for traveler assistance.

26

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JUNE 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

The Campbell Street Story

WIN A $100 GIFT CARD!

Stroll around town with a little extra cash in your pocket.

An African American Heritage Tour Through July 29, 2016

Camden Archives & Museum 1314 Broad Street

ClassicallyCarolina.com/HeritageTour

Register online at is an area horticulture agent and Master SCLiving.coop/reader-reply Gardener coordinator for S. CORY TANNER

The Island’s Largest Selection of Vacation Homes & Condos A Perfect Gathering Place for Families to Create a Lifetime of Memories

Clemson Extension based in Sign up today for our Reader Reply Travel Greenville County. Contact him Sweepstakes and your chance to win a $100 Visa at shannt@clemson.edu. gift card. One lucky winner will be drawn at random from entries received by June 30. Register online at SCLiving.coop/reader-reply or mail in the form below.

BY ENTERING, YOU MAY RECEIVE INFORMATION FROM THESE GREAT SPONSORS:

jj Alpine Helen/White County, Ga. jj Charleston Carifest jj Charleston Zipline Adventures jj Chattooga Belle Farm, Long Creek jj Cheraw Visitors Bureau jj City of Camden and Camden Archives & Museum

jj Culture & Heritage Museums, York County jj Hammock Coast and Pawleys Island jj Hampton County Watermelon Festival jj Lowcountry Tourism jj Pawleys Island Realty jj South Carolina Living magazine

T R AV E L R E A D E R R E P L Y Register below, or online at SCLiving.coop/reader-reply YES! Enter me in the drawing for a $100 gift card.

Name Address City State/ZIP Email*

Pawleys Island Realty 843-237-2000

www.pawleysislandrealty.com

Phone

SEND COUPON TO: South Carolina Living, TRR, 808 Knox Abbott Drive, Cayce, SC 29033 or

travel@SCLiving.coop. Entries must be received by June 30, 2016, to be eligible. *Winners will be notified by email and listed online at SCLiving.coop.

SCLIVING.COOP | JUNE 2016 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

27

SCGardener

BY S. CORY TANNER

Keep the okra coming IT’S HARD TO FIND A VEGETABLE CROP

PHOTOS BY S. CORY TANNER

better suited to South Carolina’s climate and soils than okra. African in origin, this highly productive vegetable is right at home in our heat and humidity.

A little patch of okra goes a long way. A friend with little gardening experience once planted a quarter pound of okra seed in three 100-foot rows. That summer, we had enough okra to feed a small army and couldn’t keep it picked! Generally, one 25-foot row (about a quarter ounce of seed) will produce 17 to 20 pounds of okra in a season—plenty for a family of four’s fresh eating. Double that if you want to ensure enough fresh pods for freezing and pickling.

Don’t be in a rush to plant okra in the spring. It hates cold soil. Seeds planted before soil temperatures reach 65 F at the 4-inch depth will result in stunted plants and decreased yields.

In my Upstate garden, I plant after May 1. Midlands and coastal-plain gardeners can usually plant okra two to four weeks earlier, respectively. But okra can be successfully seeded as

This Clemson Spineless okra pod is most tender when no more than 2–3 inches long. A pruning technique called ratooning, done in mid- to late summer, can extend your harvest into the fall.

late as the end of June statewide for a delayed harvest.

Okra handles transplanting just fine—many people buy or start their own plants to transplant to the garden.

I’ve always had terrific success sowing seeds directly in warm soil. Sow seeds three-quarters of an inch deep and 9 inches apart, in rows spaced 3 feet from each other. It’s fine to sow seeds more thickly, but make sure you thin the final stand to 9 or more inches apart. Okra plants get quite large, so greater spacing allows plants to branch and become more productive.

Harvesting okra is not unlike milking cows— it’s a commitment. Once harvest begins, pick your okra at least every other

Harvesting okra is not unlike milking cows— it’s a commitment. day (sometimes daily) to prevent overgrown pods. Where pods are concerned, bigger is definitely not better.

One novice okra grower lamented, after a season of harvesting too-large pods, that consuming them was “like eating splinters.” I prefer tender pods in the 2- to 3-inch range. Additionally, over-mature pods will signal the plant to stop producing, so keep picking to continue the harvest, even if you have to recruit help from neighbors!

There’s no shortage of gardening “advice” for okra; lore abounds.

I’ve heard suggestions to soak seeds in milk before planting, to remove

S. CORY TANNER

Okra as an ornamental

28

Okra plants are in the hibiscus family and have large, showy, white to paleyellow flowers that bloom before the pods develop. Combined with its sturdy stems and interesting leaves, okra makes a great edible, ornamental annual. Tuck plants in among perennials and other flowering plants, or use it in large containers for a vertical statement. If eating the pods isn’t your thing, the mature, dried fruits make great accents in floral arrangements and find their way into all sorts of arts and crafts.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JUNE 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

Popular okra varieties Given South Carolinians’ love of okra, it’s not surprising that one of the mainstay varieties was developed here. Clemson Spineless was released by Clemson University in 1939. An improved strain of it, Clemson Spineless 80, is the most widely sold and planted variety in the world. Choppee okra is an heirloom type and my personal favorite, similar in size, productivity and pod shape to Clemson Spineless. It originated in the Choppee community of Georgetown County, and seed for it, along with Clemson Spineless, is available from the S.C. Crop Improvement Association (clemson.edu/public/seed). Other popular varieties include Burgundy (red pods), Longhorn (preferred in gumbo), Cow Horn (heirloom) and Perkins.

lower leaves while harvesting and, from more than one old-timer, to whip plants with a switch so they’ll keep producing. Soaking seeds may improve germination, but water works just as well as milk. Better yet, freezing dry seed cracks the seed coat and improves germination even more than soaking. As for removing those prickly leaves, I understand why

gardeners might get rid of those for comfort during harvest, but removing too many healthy leaves decreases productivity over time. Just wear a long-sleeved shirt and gloves when cutting okra. I’ve yet to find a sensible explanation of why or how whipping improves production.

Recently, I learned a technique called ratooning that can rejuvenate

okra plants for a fall harvest.

Ratooning involves pruning the plants back to 8 to 10 inches above the soil line to encourage new growth with reinvigorated flowering and pod production. Ratoon in mid- to late summer, after the bulk of your first harvest is complete. Then apply a nitrogen fertilizer, such as calcium nitrate or blood meal, and maintain even soil moisture to stimulate new growth. With luck, you’ll get about a 30-day respite from picking before a new harvest begins and continues until frost. is an area horticulture agent for Clemson Extension based in Greenville County. Contact him at shannt@clemson.edu.

S. CORY TANNER

Cogongrass

is invading SC forests!

REPORT COGONGRASS:

864-646-2140 or invasives@clemson.edu

Find out more at clemson.edu/invasives Chris Evans, Illinois Wildlife Action Plan, Bugwood.org

SCLIVING.COOP | JUNE 2016 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

29

Recipe

BY BELINDA SMITH-SULLIVAN

Summer

SIDES

asts you’re Whatever fe is summer, oors th grilling outd better partnered even h. Resist they’ll taste ade side dis es from m e m o h a with sual sid buying the u e them more the habit of ak m t arket deli— delicious righ your superm d an le b ta ap ad t , u le sauerkra affordab kitchen. The illed in your own gr e id gs alon tastes great t! rs u bratw

KAREN HERMANN

DOWN-HOME POTATO SALAD SERVES 6–8

¼ cup black olives, pitted and quartered (optional) ¼ cup chopped parsley O cup mayonnaise N cup mustard 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper ¼ teaspoon paprika

In a medium saucepan over high heat, add potatoes, cover with water and boil 10–15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender but still firm. Drain, cool and cut into cubes. In a large bowl, combine potatoes with eggs, onion, bell pepper, celery, olives and parsley, and toss gently. In another small bowl, mix mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper and paprika. Add to potatoes, and mix thoroughly.

Garnish, if desired, with additional paprika and parsley. Chill several hours or overnight for enhanced flavor.

30

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JUNE 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

MICHAEL PHILLIPS

2 pounds baby red potatoes 2 large hard-boiled eggs, chopped 2 green onions, thinly sliced ½ red bell pepper, diced small 1 stalk celery, cut in half lengthwise and sliced thinly

RED CABBAGE SLAW SERVES 8–10

1 small red cabbage 2 carrots, peeled and grated 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced ½ red onion, finely chopped 4–5 radishes, grated Kosher salt Fresh ground black pepper N cup red wine vinegar ¼ cup olive oil 1 teaspoon honey ½ teaspoon celery seeds (optional)

Cut cabbage into quarters. Cut out the hard core, and slice cabbage thinly. In a large bowl, combine cabbage, carrots, celery, onion and radishes. Toss gently, and store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

In a small bowl, mix salt, pepper and vinegar, and whisk until salt dissolves. Add oil, honey and celery seeds, whisking until thoroughly combined. Set aside. About 30 minutes before serving, toss cabbage mixture with the oil-and-vinegar dressing. (If you prefer a less crunchy slaw, toss with dressing about 2 hours before serving. Between 2 to 3 hours, the slaw will start to shrink and become watery.)

W H AT Õ S C O O K I N G AT KAREN HERMANN

SCLiving.coop

Stir up a pitcher of Chef Belinda’s fruity and refreshing summer beverages for your next cookout. Cool ideas are at

SCLiving.coop/food/chefbelinda

HOMEMADE BAKED BEANS SERVES 10–12

SAUERKRAUT MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART

1 large green cabbage 2 tablespoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon caraway seeds

Remove the outer leaves of cabbage, reserving one leaf. Cut cabbage into quarters. Cut out the hard core, and slice cabbage thinly. In a large bowl, add cabbage, and sprinkle with salt and caraway seeds. Let cabbage sit in the bowl about 15 minutes. Using clean hands, crush/mash cabbage continuously, until juices start to flow from cabbage. Continue about 10 minutes; cabbage will start to get soft.

Sterilize* a quart-sized canning or mason jar, and fill it with cabbage.

With a spoon, pack it down as tightly as possible. If there is not enough liquid to totally submerge the cabbage, make a brine of

2 bay leaves Kosher salt Fresh ground black pepper 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes 1 ½ cups light brown sugar, packed ½ cup molasses 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce ¼ cup tomato paste

2 teaspoons salt and 2 cups water, making sure salt dissolves. Pour enough brine into the jar just to cover the cabbage. Use reserved cabbage leaf to cover cabbage in the jar. Use a smaller, clean jam jar to weight the cabbage, to prevent it from floating to the top of the jar. Cover jar with a kitchen towel, and store in a cool, dry, dark place (the pantry is perfect for this) to ferment for 5–10 days. Place a saucer or plate under the jar in case of spillover during fermentation.

After the fifth day, taste the sauerkraut. If you prefer it more sour, let it ferment longer. When it is to your liking, cover with an airtight lid, and refrigerate.

Sauerkraut will keep for several months in the refrigerator. * You can sterilize jars for canning by placing them on a sheet pan in a 225 F oven for 20 minutes.

Sort through beans to remove any stones or broken beans. Place in large bowl, add enough water to cover by 2 inches and let soak overnight.

Drain well.

Preheat oven to 300 F. In a Dutch oven or large, deep baking pan, over medium heat, add oil and sausage, and cook until brown, about 6 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, remove sausage to a bowl lined with a paper towel. To the same pot, add onion and peppers, and saute until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook an additional minute.

Add sausage and remaining ingredients, and stir to combine. Add the beans, stir and bring to a boil. Cover and transfer to preheated oven; cook for 3 hours. Uncover, stir and cook until beans are soft, another 1–2 hours.

IULIIA NEDRYGAILOVA

1 pound dried navy beans 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 pound smoked sausage, cut into small cubes 1 onion, chopped 1 cup chopped red bell pepper 1 small jalapeno pepper, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 6 cups beef broth

SCLIVING.COOP | JUNE 2016 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

31

SCChefÕsChoice

BY BECKY BILLINGSLEY

Staying true JOSEPH EVANS, THE OWNER AND HEAD

Sheila and Joseph Evans serve up barbecue with a smile at their new, indoor location.

PHOTOS BY MILTON MORRIS

chef at True BBQ in Myrtle Beach, has been working in restaurants since the age of 13, but nothing in his long experience prepared him for what happened when he and his wife, Sheila, opened their roadside stand on Socastee Boulevard in 2013.

Lured by the intoxicating smell of the hickory, oak and applewood smoke Evans uses to flavor his slow-cooked meats—and captivated by the authentic charm of a colorful stand with four outdoor picnic tables for a dining area—customers lined up eagerly to devour every morsel of moist pulled pork, tender beef brisket, meaty ribs

True BBQ 4002 Socastee Blvd., Myrtle Beach, (843) 267-1787 HOURS : Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

RESTAURANT: 364 Robert M. Grissom Parkway, Myrtle Beach, (843) 945-4111 HOURS: Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Operating hours at both locations may be extended during the summer, but they’ll always be closed on Sundays. For more information, visit truebbqmb.com.

ROADSIDE STAND:

TRUE BBQ MACARONI SALAD 1 pound uncooked elbow macaroni 1 cup mayonnaise ½ cup sweet relish 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar Salt and pepper to taste

Cook macaroni according to package directions and drain. In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, relish, vinegar, salt and pepper. Fold in cooked macaroni until well incorporated. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Cover and chill at least one hour before serving, but overnight is better.

32

and flavorful smoked chicken the family could make.

“We were so stunned when we first opened,” Sheila says. “There were so many people even the first week.”

With that kind of success, the family began looking for a roomier venue to grow the business. In September 2015, they opened a second True BBQ on Robert M. Grissom Parkway—this one in a traditional restaurant building with a large kitchen and 235 indoor seats.

The indoor location has a more extensive menu with barbecue nachos, smoked wings, spicy rib tips, rib sandwiches, combo meals and meat by the pound. The classic barbecue side dishes like hash and rice, macaroni salad, slaw, macaroni and cheese, fries and baked beans are all made from recipes that were passed down from both sides of the Evans family.

Joseph says both locations are thriving because he still cooks his meats the old-fashioned way, and he doesn’t cut corners.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JUNE 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

“You cannot rush a good brisket,” Joseph says. “You just can’t. We cook our food long and slow with lots and lots of love.”

The new location has an enormous bar in the main dining room, but True BBQ remains alcohol-free.

“We’re turning it into a sweet bar with cake, pies and coffee,” Joseph says. “Ladies can sit up there and have cake and coffee, relax and have a conversation and not feel rushed to be out.”

“It’s a fun place, with good food and good hospitality,” Sheila says.

“That’s what we try to create.”

CHANGE OUT

SCLIVING.COOP | JUNE 2016 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

33

Palmetto State Marketplace

Ce

lebrating

44

2 197 - 2 016

MOBILE HOME ROOFING SOLUTIONS

Years

• LIFETIME WARRANTY • PROFESSIONALLY INSTALLED • #1 STEEL PRODUCTS • 3” INSULATION REDUCES UTILITY COST • 12” OVERHANG

Since 1992 CALL TOLL FREE FOR A FREE QUOTE

www.hooverbuildings.com S.C. locations - Lexington & Greer

877-839-6449 MOBILEHOMEROOFINGSOLUTIONS.COM

Get the Muck OUT! TM

Marble size AquaClear Pellets clear your lake or pond bottom.

FREE SHIPPING! Our 61st year

Beneficial microorganisms. Restore balance in natural and man-made surface waters.Increase water clarity.

Improve water quality. Eliminate black organic muck. A 10 lb. bag treats 0.50 to 1.0 acres - $94.00.

A 50 lb. bag treats 2.5 to 5.0 acres - $339.00. Apply weekly for 4 weeks then monthly to maintain.

No water use restrictions.

KillLakeWeeds.com

800-328-9350 AQUACIDE CO.

PO Box 10748, DEPT 662X White Bear Lake, MN 55110-0748

Join the conversation and share your photos

as we celebrate all that’s great about life in South Carolina. facebook.com/SouthCarolinaLiving

in our FREE

e-newsletter

Sign up today at SCLiving.coop

! e E + 00 L c 0 a l Y 0 p 0 , t T 0 , e 0 S k 9 0 r E 5 5 1,0 LIF Ma T SA

AS H ,

GE R LA

ST

E? D IN T S E TA R A Contact S SE H R S T E OU A E H Mary Watts now T T IN IN Y A S S E I H to learn about the IN B BU D E W D N N benefits of advertising S& ZI OUL ,A E A S in South Carolina Living!

M G TC ER A O I D H M (803) 739-5074 ads@scliving.coop A RE E RIV

34

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JUNE 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

To advertise, please go to SCLiving.coop or e-mail ads@scliving.coop

All your metal building design, fabrication and supply needs under one roof.

• Standard and Cut-to-length Roof & Wall Panels

• 18,000 Sq. Ft. of Quality Metal Building Inventory

• Red Iron Components

• Many Items on Our Floor Available for Immediate Pick-up

• Building Kits & Complete Customized Building Systems • Metal Building Accessories

• Buyers Guide Available

Stop by or call us for a quote today.

800-922-8039

www.MetalBuildingSupplyCo.com 1500 Elrod Road, Piedmont, SC 29673

ROOF

MOBILE HOME

PROBLEMS?

CUSTOM STEEL BUILDINGS AT ANY SIZE

>>

COMMERCIAL

>>

INDUSTRIAL

>>

MINI STORAGE

INSURANCE NO MORE EXPERT ROOF RUMBLE INSTALLATION CREDIT

STOP REDUCED LEAKS

$7,499.00 $12,999.00 $18,799.00 $25,999.00 $7,299.00

VENUS FLYTRAPS

Prices subject to change due to loads and codes.

1.800.882.5150

LIFETIME

Since 1983

®

PREMIERBUILDINGS.COM

YES! Send 1 year (11 issues) for just $8

INCREASED HOME VALUE

ELECTRIC BILL WARRANTY

S.C.RAMBLE! ANSWER

20’ x 100’ x 8’-6”

AGRICULTURE

30 x 40 x 10 40 x 75 x 12 50 x 100 x 12 60 x 125 x 12 Mini Storage

ACCREDITED BUSINESS ®

>>

YES! Send 2 years (22 issues) for just $15

GIFT TO_________________________________________________

FROM __________________________________________________

PHONE _________________________________________________

PHONE__________________________________________________

ADDRESS________________________________________________

ADDRESS ________________________________________________

CITY___________________________________________________

CITY___________________________________________________

STATE/ZIP________________________________________________

STATE/ZIP________________________________________________

roofover.com

800.633.8969

June is a great time to award the graduates in your life a subscription to

NOTE: Co-op members should already receive this magazine as a membership benefit.

Please make check payable to South Carolina Living and mail to P.O. Box 100270, Columbia, SC 29202-3270.

(Please allow 4 – 8 weeks.) Call 1-803-926-3175 for more information. Sorry, credit card orders not accepted.

SCLIVING.COOP | JUNE 2016 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

35

Calendar of Events UPSTATE JUNE

15–18 • Mighty Moo Festival, Veterans Memorial Park, Cowpens. (864) 463-3201.

15–19 • Upstate Shakespeare Festival, Falls Park, Greenville.

(864) 235-6948.

16 • Project Host Community Dinner, Main and Broad Street, Greenville. (864) 235-3403.

17 • “Duck Hunter Shoots Angel,” Walhalla Civic Auditorium, Walhalla. (864) 638-5277.

17 • Main Street Fridays: Gwen & the Kats, NOMA Square, Greenville. (864) 235-1234.

17–26 • Chautauqua History Alive Festival, various locations, Greenville. (864) 244-1499.

18 • Flag Day at the Park, Musgrove Mill, Clinton.

(864) 938-0100.

18 • Ice Cream Social, Greenville Zoo, Greenville. (864) 467-4300.

21 • World Giraffe Day, Greenville Zoo, Greenville. (864) 467-4300.

24 • Big Barrel Country Music Festival, Charter Amphitheater at Heritage Park, Simpsonville. (864) 757-3022.

24 • Main Street Fridays: Justified, NOMA Square, Greenville. (864) 235-1234.

25 • Aviation Expo 2016, Greenwood County Airport, Greenwood. (864) 942-8557.

25 • Freedom Blast, Greer City Park, Greer. (864) 968-7004.

25–26 • Ag+Art Tour, Cross Keys House, Union. (864) 429-5081.

26 • Stump Jump XC Race, Croft State Park, Spartanburg. (864) 585-1283.

JULY

1 • Main Street Fridays: Shades of Brown, NOMA Square, Greenville. (864) 235-1234.

1 • Taylors Freedom Celebration, Peace Center, Greenville. (864) 244-3535.

1–2 • S.C. Festival of Stars, Ninety Six Town Park, Ninety Six. (864) 543-3396.

2 • Clemsonfest, Clemson Recreation Area, Clemson.

(864) 654-1200.

2 • Last Road Bluegrass, Pickens Amphitheater, Pickens. (864) 878-6421.

4 • Celebrate America Festival, Old Market Square, Easley. (864) 423-4344.

4 • Fourth of July Celebration, Main Street, Pickens. (864) 878-0105.

36

4 • Hillbilly Day, Mountain Rest Community Club, Oconee. (864) 718-0688.

4 • Red, White and Blue Festival, Court and Camperdown streets, Greenville. (864) 232-2273.

4 • Red, White and Boom, Barnet Park, Spartanburg. (864) 562-4195.

7–10 • S.C. Festival of Discovery, Uptown Greenwood, Greenwood. (864) 942-8448.

8 • Main Street Fridays: JAVA Band, NOMA Square, Greenville. (864) 235-1234.

8–23 • South Carolina Peach Festival, Town Hall, Gaffney. (864) 489-5721.

9 • Royal Color Run, Heritage Park, Simpsonville. (864) 908-6909.

9–10 • Greenwood Blues Cruise, uptown, Greenwood.

(864) 942-8448.

15 • Main Street Fridays: The Flashbacks, NOMA Square, Greenville. (864) 235-1234.

15–17 • “Beauty and the Beast,” Johnson Hall at Winthrop University, Rock Hill. (704) 488-6703.

ONGOING

Thursdays, June­–­­July • Music on Main, Morgan Square, Spartanburg. (864) 596-2026.

Third Thursdays • Art Walk, downtown, Spartanburg.

(864) 542-2787.

Second Saturdays • Heartstrings, Hagood Mill State Historic Site & Folklife Center, Pickens. (864) 898-2936.

Third Saturdays • Milling Day, Hagood Mill Historic Site & Folklife Center, Pickens. (864) 898-2936.

Sundays • Sundays Unplugged, Chapman Cultural Center, Spartanburg. (864) 542-2787.

MIDLANDS JUNE

15 • Dive into Dinosaurs, Museum of York County, Rock Hill. (803) 329-2121.

15–19 • Southeastern Piano Festival, various locations, Columbia. (803) 777-1209.

16 • SCQHA Youth Show and Maxi Circuit, S.C. Equine Park, Camden. (910) 280-8465.

16–17 • 4-H2O Camp, Lee State Park, Bishopville. (803) 484-5416.

17 • Ridge Peach Festival, Trenton Town Park, Trenton. (706) 833-3634.

17 • “State Fair,” Newberry Opera House, Newberry. (803) 276-5179.

18 • Aiken Music Fest, Highfields Event Center, Aiken. (803) 649-3505.

18 • Blackwater Festival, Aiken State Park, Aiken. (803) 256-4000.

17 • Sounds of Summer Concert Series, Sandhills Bank Amphitheater, North Myrtle Beach. (843) 280-5570.

17 • Moonlight Mixer, Edwin Taylor Fishing Pier, Folly Beach. (843) 795-4386.

4 • Lexington County Peach 18 • Fears That Fortified Charles Festival, Gilbert Community Towne cannon demonstration, Park, Gilbert. (803) 892-5207.

Charles Towne Landing, 4 • Military Appreciation Day at Charleston. (843) 852-4200.

EdVenture, EdVenture Children’s Museum, Columbia. (803) 400-1156. 18 • Juneteenth Celebration, Fish Haul Park, Hilton Head 6 • Piedmont Rocks, Island. (843) 255-7301.

Museum of York County, 18 • Moonlight Canoe Rock Hill. (803) 329-2121.

Float, Cheraw State Park, 9 • Camden Celebration Cheraw. (843) 537-9656.

Horse Show, S.C. Equine Park, 18 • Summer’s First Saturday Camden. (803) 649-3505.

Cookout, La Belle Amie Vineyard, 9 • Jammin’ in July, Historic Little River. (843) 399-9463.

Camden Revolutionary War 23 • Movie Night: DisneyNature’s Site, Camden. (803) 432-9841.

“Bears,” Park at Shelter Cove, 9–10 • Repticon Columbia, Jamil Hilton Head Island. (843) 686-3090.

Temple, Columbia. (803) 814-5018.

23 • Music on Main: 10 • Harbison Trail Run, Entertainers, Horseshoe, North Harbison State Forest, Myrtle Beach. (843) 280-5570.

Columbia. (803) 896-8890.

23–26 • Charleston 12 • Summer Concert Carifest, Brittlebank Park, Series, Fewell Park, Rock Charleston. (843) 557-6258.

Hill. (803) 329-5645.

24 • Dive-in Movies: “Pirates 13 • When Meteors Came of the Caribbean,” Island Down, Museum of York County, Rec Center Pool, Hilton Head Rock Hill. (803) 329-2121.

Island. (843) 681-7273.

15 • “The Politics of Loyalty 24 • Reggae Nights, James in the French & Indian War,” Island County Park, James Native American Studies Center, Island. (843) 795-4386.

Lancaster. (803) 313-3172.

25 • Charles Towne Landing Bird ONGOING Walk, Charles Towne Landing, Charleston. (843) 852-4200.

Daily beginning June 4 • “Race: Are We So Different?”

25 • Close Encounters of a Bird S.C. State Museum. (803) 898-4921. Kind, Charles Towne Landing, Charleston. (843) 852-4200.

Daily • Planetarium Shows, S.C. State Museum Observatory, 25 • To Settle a Town, Columbia. (803) 898-4921.

Colonial Dorchester State Park, Summerville. (843) 873-1740.

Mondays through August • Hopelands Summer Concert 25–26 • Conway Riverfest, Series, Hopelands Gardens, Riverfront, Conway. (843) 248-2273.

Aiken. (803) 642-7654.

25–26 • Italian Festival, Tuesdays • Second Shift Market Commons, Myrtle Beach.

Twosdays, S.C. State Museum, (843) 215-2662.

Columbia. (803) 898-4921.

28 • Toddler Time at the Animal Saturdays, weather Forest, Charles Towne Landing, permitting • Aiken Trolley Tours, Charleston. (843) 852-4200.

Aiken Visitors Center and Train 30 • Day in the Life of a Museum, Aiken. (803) 644-1907.

Sailor, Charles Towne Landing, Fourth Saturdays • Mountain Charleston. (843) 852-4200.

Dulcimers of Aiken, Aiken Visitors Center and Train Museum, 30 • Movie Night: DisneyNature’s “Earth,” Park at Shelter Cove, Hilton Aiken. (803) 293-7846.

Head Island. (843) 686-3090.

30 • Music on Main: Sound LOWCOUNTRY Express and Legacy, 202 Main St., JUNE North Myrtle Beach. (843) 280-5570.

16 • Movie Night: “March of the JULY Penguins,” Park at Shelter Cove, Hilton Head Island. (843) 686-3090. 1 • Creature Feature, Charles Towne Landing, 16 • Music on Main: Ultimate Charleston. (843) 852-4200.

Rock Machine, 202 Main St., North 1 • Sun Fun 101 Race, Myrtle Beach. (843) 280-5570.

Myrtle Beach Speedway, Myrtle Beach. (843) 236-0500.

Go to SCLiving.coop for more information and for guidelines on submitting your event. Please confirm information before attending events.

18 • Columbia Shrimp & Grits Festival, Columbia Marriott Hotel, Columbia. (803) 771-7000.

18–26 • Hampton County Watermelon Festival, various locations, Hampton. (803) 943-8324.

19 • “Wild West Barbecue Mystery Dinner Show,” NarroWay Theater and Conference Center, Fort Mill. (803) 802-2300.

21–25 • Columbia Fashion Week, various locations, downtown, Columbia. (803) 701-0172.

22 • Fabulous Fossils, Museum of York County, Rock Hill. (803) 329-2121.

24 • Finally Friday Free Concert Series: Double Naught Spies, Shull Outdoor Pavilion, Camden. (803) 425-7676.

25 • Friends of the York County Library Book Sale, Clover Public Library, Clover. (803) 981-5837.

25 • Haynes Fourth Saturday Bluegrass Series: King James 1611 Boys and The Band Kelley, Haynes Auditorium, Leesville. (803) 582-8479.

25 • Midlands Family Expo, Jamil Shrine Temple, Columbia. (803) 463-2712.

25 • Miss South Carolina Pageant, Township Auditorium, Columbia. (843) 857-9173.

25 • Pine Needle Basket Workshop, Lee State Park, Bishopville. (803) 428-4988.

27 • Porkchop Productions’ “The Tortoise and the Hare,” Clarendon County Library, Clarendon. (803) 435-8633.

29 • Create-a-Saurus Art Day, Museum of York County, Rock Hill. (803) 329-2121.

30 • Blythefest, Trinity United Methodist Church, Blythewood. (803) 786-1637.

JULY

2 • Lake Murray Boat Parade and Fireworks, Lake Murray Dam, Columbia. (803) 781-5940.

3 • Lake Murray Symphony Orchestra’s “Star Spangled Salute,” Saluda Shoals Park, Columbia. (803) 731-5208.

4 • Bamberg Fourth of July Celebration, Ness Park, Bamberg. (803) 245-5529.

4 • Fourth of July on the Lake, Dreher Island State Park, Chapin. (803) 781-5940.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JUNE 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

2 • Fourth of July Boat Parade, Garden City Point, Murrells Inlet. (843) 652-4236.

3 • Cheraw Independence Celebration, Cheraw High School, Cheraw. (843) 537-8400.

4 • Hilton Head Firecracker 5K, Shelter Cove Community Park, Hilton Head Island. (843) 757-8520.

4 • Fourth of July Boat Parade, Murrells Inlet MarshWalk, Murrells Inlet. (843) 497-3450.

4 • Freedom Fest, Darlington Raceway, Darlington. (843) 393-2641.

7 • Yappy Hour, James Island County Park, James Island. (843) 795-4386.

7 • Movie Night: “Dolphin Tale,” Park at Shelter Cove, Hilton Head Island. (843) 686-3090.

7 • Music on Main: Marsha Morgan Band, Horseshoe, North Myrtle Beach. (843) 280-5570.

8 • Movies @ McLean, McLean Park, North Myrtle Beach.

(843) 280-5584.

8 • Reggae Nights, James Island County Park, James Island. (843) 795-4386.

14 • Movie Night: “Flipper,” Park at Shelter Cove, Hilton Head Island. (843) 686-3090.

14 • Music on Main: Tim Clark Band, 202 Main St., North Myrtle Beach. (843) 280-5570.

14–15 • May River Shrimp Festival, Wharf Street, Bluffton. (843) 757-8520.

15 • Sounds of Summer Concert Series, North Myrtle Beach Sports Complex, North Myrtle Beach. (843) 280-5570.

15 • Friday Night Boogie, Mount Pleasant Pier, Mount Pleasant. (843) 795-4386.

15–16 • Pageland Watermelon Festival, Moore’s Park, Pageland. (843) 672-6400.

ONGOING

Daily • History Tours, Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon, Charleston. (888) 763-0448.

Daily • QR Code Tour, downtown, Conway. (843) 248-6260.

Daily through Sept. 5 • “Nature Connects”: LEGOS Bricks Sculpture Exhibit, Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet. (843) 235-6000.

Mondays–Saturdays, through Oct. 1 • “The History of Fishing,” South Carolina Maritime Museum, Georgetown. (843) 520-0111.

Saturdays • Snakes and Reptiles, Huntington Beach State Park, Murrells Inlet. (843) 237-4440.

CHANGE OUT

SCHumorMe

BY JAN A. IGOE

Make golf great again AS A NONGOLFER WHO LIVES ON A GOLF

course here on the Grand Strand​ —one of the golf capitals of the universe—I get to study the colorful folks who spend precious time and resources attempting to master this exasperating excuse for a game. It’s like bird-­watching, except the birds don’t curse.

Luckily for me, the tees are located directly behind my house, keeping it reasonably safe from incoming shots. A golfer would pretty much have to turn sideways to drive a ball into my yard.

I’m not saying it can’t be done.

Occasionally, a bowlegged stranger will waddle up to plant his face against my kitchen window, just checking to be sure none of my hard-boiled eggs say Titleist.

Beyond welcoming trespassers, my golf background isn’t extensive. Most of what I know came from Caddyshack, where I found myself rooting for the gopher. To be fair, I tested my chops on a driving range, blasting one ball at least 6 feet after 736 attempts. Still couldn’t figure out why golf was supposed to be fun, so I went back to tennis, where I have no problem hitting balls into the next county.

Tennis is my kind of sport. A can of balls runs $2. I use the same 10-yearold racket to serve, volley or smash.

38

Nobody makes me play 18 sets in a single, sweaty afternoon. And when I’m moving like a three-legged sloth, there’s always a doubles partner to blame for stuff like gravity or whatever else put our opponents up love–5.

But golf is not like other sports.

There’s nobody to yell at. No opponent is blocking your jump shot with an errant elbow. Hardballs don’t spin toward your head at 120 mph, and no Hulk-size monster is waiting to tackle you. You don’t have to chase, catch, kick or head butt the ball. It just sits perfectly still, politely waiting to get smacked. Golf could be the AARP version of T-ball. It’s so safe, it’s dull.

Maybe that’s why golf announcers sound as solemn as morticians.

“Dearly beloved, the water hazard has claimed another young drive before its time.” Somebody get Vince McMahon in here, quick.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JUNE 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

My golfer friends still hope to convert me, the ungolfed heathen, by inviting me over to enjoy pro golf on TV. They lure me with wine and potato chips, which have no calories if you eat them at someone else’s house.

So I go, but I’d rather be watching a tax audit.

They need something to perk the sport up.

Fortunately, I’m here to help: u Hire cheerleaders for every hole. A couple of backflips can’t hurt. u Put on a halftime show after the ninth inning.

(Ninth hole. I meant hole.) u Make putting a contact sport.

Get some goalies on the greens to guard the pins. u Find a kraken.

You know that beast in the Geico commercials whose massive tentacles erupt out of the water to grab random golfers? That’s the best thing that could happen to the sport. We’ll get one of those, but let’s put it in a different water hazard every day. People love surprises.

Call me when the PGA implements these suggestions. Until then, I’ll keep birdie watching and hoping that, someday, I’ll see an eagle.

JAN A. IGOE believes that H.G. Wells was right. “The uglier a man’s legs are, the better he plays golf. It’s almost a law.”

Write her at HumorMe@SCLiving.coop.

650+ Stores Nationwide

WOW SUPER COUPON

SAVE $90

SUPER COUPON

Customer Rating

2500 LB. ELECTRIC WINCH WITH WIRELESS REMOTE CONTROL

LOT 61258 shown 61840/61297/68146

99 $ 99 comp at 89 $159.99

$69

reight.com or by calling our stores or HarborF t or coupon or prior LIMIT 4 - Good at used with other discoun 800-423-2567. Cannot be from original purchase with original receipt. be purchases after 30 dayss last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must day.

Offer good while supplie10/12/16. Limit one coupon per customer per presented. Valid through

16 OZ. HAMMERS WITH FIBERGLASS HANDLE

R PE ON SU UP CO

CLAW

LOT 69006 60715/60714

SAVE 77%

RIP LOT 47873 shown 69005/61262

YOUR CHOICE Customer Rating

3

$ 99

comp at

$17.99

20% OFF

ANY SINGLE ITEM

Limit 1 coupon per customer per day. Save 20% on any 1 item purchased. *Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or any of the following items or brands: Inside Track Club membership, extended service plan, gift card, open box item, 3 day parking lot sale item, compressors, floor jacks, saw mills, storage cabinets, chests or carts, trailers, trenchers, welders, Admiral, Badland, CoverPro, Daytona, Diablo, Franklin, Hercules, Holt, Jupiter, Predator, Stik-Tek, StormCat, Union, Vanguard, Viking. Not valid on prior purchases. Non-transferable.

Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 10/12/16.

R PE ON 2.5 HP, 21 GALLON, 125 PSI SU UP VERTICAL AIR COMPRESSOR O C LOT 69091/67847 shown 61454/61693/62803

How Does Harbor Freight Sell GREAT QUALITY Tools at the LOWEST Prices?

We have invested millions of dollars in our own state-of-the-art quality test labs and millions more in our factories, so our tools will go toe-to-toe with the top professional brands.

And we can sell them for a fraction of the price because we cut out the middle man and pass the savings on to you. It’s just that simple!

Come visit one of our 650+ Stores Nationwide.

WOW

SUPER COUPON

Customer Rating

LIMIT 8 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.

Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 10/12/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

R 3-IN-1 ELECTRIC PE ON BLOWER VACUUM SU UP MULCHER CO Customer Rating LOT 62469 62337 shown

SAVE 29%

$

comp at

$63.88

LIMIT 4 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.

Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 10/12/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

R PE ON SU UP Customer Rating CO

comp at

$

HORIZONTAL SHAFT GAS ENGINES

LOT 61914

$

19

comp at

99

$89.99

LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.

Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 10/12/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

AUTOMATIC BATTERY FLOAT CHARGER

Customer Rating

SAVE 82%

5

$ 99 comp at

$34.99

LIMIT 6 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.

Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 10/12/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

LIMIT 6 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.

Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 10/12/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

R FOLDABLE PE ON ALUMINUM SU UP CO SPORTS CHAIR

SAVE 55% Customer Rating $ 99 comp at

21

$49.97

SAVE $228

6 PIECE SCREWDRIVER SET LOT 61313/62583/62728 47770/62570 shown

7

$ 98 VALUE

LIMIT 1 - Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or prior purchase. Coupon good at our stores, HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Offer good while supplies last. Shipping & Handling charges may apply if not picked up in-store. Nontransferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 10/12/16. Limit one FREE GIFT coupon per customer per day.

WOW

RAPID PUMP® 1.5 TON ALUMINUM RACING JACK

$

comp at

99 89 $119.99

LIMIT 4 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.

Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 10/12/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

R PE ON SU UP CO

$99

3 PIECE DECORATIVE SOLAR LED LIGHTS

SAVE 70%

LOT 95588/60561 69462 shown

Customer Rating

8

$ 99 comp at

comp at

$29.99

$328

reight.com or by calling our stores or HarborF prior LIMIT 3 - Good at be used with other discount or coupon or original receipt.

800-423-2567. Cannot original purchase with coupon must be from days 30 purchases after nsferable. Original Non-tra last. day. s per supplie er per custom Offer good while 10/12/16. Limit one coupon presented. Valid through

LIMIT 9 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.

Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 10/12/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

8750 PEAK/ 7000 RUNNING WATTS 13 HP (420 CC) • 76 dB Noise Level GAS GENERATORS Customer Rating

R PE ONSUPER SU UP QUIET CO

SAVE $449 $

LOT 66287 shown 60450/62371 62716/62714

LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.

Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 10/12/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

SAVE $60

• 3-1/2 Pumps Lifts Most Vehicles • Weighs 34 lbs.

Customer Rating

SPLIT LEATHER WORK GLOVES WITH COTTON BACK 5 PAIRS Customer Rating

• 250 lb. capacity

SUPER COUPON

LOT 69252/60569 shown 68053/62160 Customer Rating 62496/62516

99 $ 11999

R PE ON SU UP CO

LOT 62314/63066 66383 shown

WITH ANY PURCHASE

LOT 68120/60363/69730 LOT 68121/69727 shown CALIFORNIA ONLY

Customer Rating

$349.99

LOT 69594/69955/42292 shown

PON WOW6.5SUPHPER(21COU 2 CC) OHV

TRIPLE BALL

169

R PE ON SU UP CO

LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.

Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 10/12/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

SAVE TRAILER HITCH 77%

99

99 22 $49.21

comp at

LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.

Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 10/12/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

FREE

$1699 $5999

$499

SAVE LOT 69397/61427 95272 shown $180 • 704 lb. capacity comp at

Includes one 18V NiCd battery and charger.

SAVE 65%

SAVE $339

R PE ON SU UP CO

30", 5 DRAWER TOOL CART

$

LOT 62868/62873 69651/68239 shown

Customer Rating

99 $15999

44

18 VOLT CORDLESS 3/8" DRILL/DRIVER WITH KEYLESS CHUCK

SUPER COUPON

SAVE comp at 73% $ 99 $22.45

5

LIMIT 8 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.

Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 10/12/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

• 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed • Over 30 Million Satisfied Customers

LOT 68530/63086 63085/69671 shown LOT 68525/69677 63087/63088 CALIFORNIA ONLY

54999

comp at

$999

LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.

Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 10/12/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

• No Hassle Return Policy • Lifetime Warranty On All Hand Tools

• HarborFreight.com • 800-423-2567