Criminal Defense Lawyer in James Island, SC

James Island just got a whole lot tastier with a new DQ restaurant coming to town.

American Dairy Queen Corporation (ADQ), a leader in treats and food, announced a new DQ Restaurant which held its grand opening on March 7. Conveniently located off the James Island Expressway at 345 Folly Road, the restaurant will be owned by Dream Cone LLC.

“We chose to franchise with Dairy Queen because of our admiration for such a longstanding, reputable brand and the joy it brings to people of all ages, especially kids,” said a representative from Dream Cone LLC in a statement. “Everyone has a happy memory of sharing an ice cream with family and friends, and we want to help create those same moments for residents in the Charleston area. We believe this restaurant will be a gathering place for our community, where people can come together to enjoy tasty treats and make lasting memories.”

This is Dream Cone’s first restaurant in South Carolina. The group looks forward to supporting the local MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital through Dairy Queen’s partnership with the Children’s Miracle Network Charity, as well as sponsoring local youth and baseball teams in the area.

The restaurant will serve its food and treats, including Signature Stackburgers, Chicken Strip Baskets and DQ soft serve in cones, sundaes, shakes, and the signature Blizzard® Treat, among many more menu items.

The new DQ restaurant features a modern design with large booths, community tables and chairs, a designated mobile order pick-up counter, drive-thru lanes, an outdoor patio and fireplace, and an iconic 14-foot DQ red spoon.

The restaurant is open from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Sunday through Saturday, with the drive-thru open until midnight. The James Island location is the first DQ restaurant owned by Dream Cone LLC.

JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - A plan to highlight the beloved 400-year-old Angel Oak Tree and its surrounding land on Johns Island is being brought to city officials for approval to move forward.

The Lowcountry Land Trust has been working on its initiative called the Angel Oak Preserve to unite the nine-acre City of Charleston property, where the Angel Oak Tree sits, with the surrounding 35 acres that the land trust owns.

The goal is to create a community gathering space where visitors can learn more about the significance of the Angel Oak Tree and the history of the site, all while preserving the land that was once threatened by development.

The land trust is proposing the addition of a welcome center on the property it owns, which would be placed at a safe distance away from the Angel Oak to protect the tree’s root system.

Liollio Architecture Principal Jay White says that their goal is to build as little as possible, as the importance of this initiative lies in preserving the Angel Oak Tree.

“When you drive up into the parking lot, you’ll be parking amongst the forestry landscape and if you come through the welcome center, which is really very modest, it’s about the size of a modest house and it provides restrooms, and offices for the staff, a gift shop of course and a gathering space for interpretive exhibits,” White says.

The project is estimated to cost $12 million. The land trust is about halfway to its goal and plans to continue to receive support through public and private donations.

“The Angel Oak is such a powerful symbol, so we envision this project as hopefully an ambassador site where other local communities can learn from it and replicate it, so it really stands as that deep connection between people and conservation and the community and the efforts to protect this tree. Also speak to the resilience of the communities who have lived for so long in relationship to this land,” Angel Oak Preserve Director at the Lowcountry Land Trust, Samantha Siegel, says.

Currently, there is a gift shop located on the nine-acre property that the city owns. The proposed plan includes tearing that down and moving it into the new welcome center, as it is located on top of the roots of the Angel Oak Tree.

Visitors also currently use Angel Oak Road to drive down and park to see the tree, but White says they plan to move parking further away and have guests approach the tree on foot, ensuring the preservation and well-being of the tree.

White says they plan to add walking trails for visitors to follow as they exit the welcome center, which will take them through the forested area before reaching the Angel Oak Tree.

White says once visitors reach the tree they plan to have an elevated wooden boardwalk surrounding it that will keep people off the tree to protect it.

He says that they will also highlight ecological footprints that archaeologists have found near the tree that were once the location of slave cabins. Plans also include a nature play area for children as well as outdoor classrooms where guests who come for tours can learn more about the tree and the site.

“It’s just going to be a really special, sacred place. It already is, but it’s going to be even more special, and we will really be able to honor the tree the way it should be. I think it’s a perfect example of a place where the culture and the ecology work together to create this magic,” Siegel says.

The public will still be able to access the Angel Oak Tree for free. There may be times when visitor traffic is busy and they might do a time slot system, but it would still remain free to guests.

White says once they get final approval they expect it will take about a year to build the welcome center and its features.

The City of Charleston’s Design Review Board will meet on Monday to vote on conceptual approval of the welcome center. If approved, it will have to move forward for preliminary and final approval.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.

JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - A new advanced academy program will expand resources on Johns Island, addressing a growing need for student retention across neighborhood schools.

The St. Johns High campus was built in 2003 across roughly 24 acres of land. The facilities cover 120,581 square feet and are the stomping grounds to around 336 Mighty Islanders. It is the only high school within close reach of Johns Island families.

The remaining four facilities are Angel Oak Elementary, Edith L. Frierson Montessori, Mount Zion Elementary and Haut Gap Middle. The community is expected to welcome another elementary school on River Road in August.

Educators, parents and community members grow concerned about how to keep students on the island past primary education. Several said it is common to see older students leaving the island for academic, athletic or artistic resources in non-neighborhood schools.

Principal Jermaine Joyner intends to combat the issue by expanding its feeder network for students. The school will implement an advanced academy system and make facility changes in the next year.

Joyner said the suggestion was made possible with support from the Weighted Student Formula.

40 students have applied for the program, which was offered to families through School Choice. The opportunity was open to students zoned to attend the school and are within District 9. Students are eligible if they are considered “academically gifted students prepared for college level coursework as early as freshman year.”

Joyner also hopes to provide students with better access to tennis, football or other athletic programs. The administration plans to look at additional changes to its theater and arts resources.

The school is currently set up to allow spaces for students to explore careers in culinary and the fire department, among other special fields. Over the next few months, Joyner expects facility changes to move those access points forward.

“Grabbing those kids at the middle school and getting them connected with the school will hopefully help connect them and keep them here when they transition into high school,” Joyner said.

The advanced academy program will start in the upcoming 2025-2026 school year.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - People on James Island will soon see trucks and teams working on upgrades to Woodland Shores Road and Maybank Highway.

The $3.6 million project will bring about a mile of sidewalks down Woodland Shores Road and Maybank Highway, improving safety and connectivity for bikers and walkers.

The project will also install a mid-block crossing on Maybank Highway with a high visibility flashing crosswalk signal. A raised median going in on Maybank Highway will have fencing to prevent illegal and unsafe crossing anywhere but the crosswalk.

As of March, utility relocation is already happening. Shovels will hit the ground in the coming week. All work will happen during the day, but outside of peak traffic hours. Project leaders say they do not plan any full road closures, just lane closures.

The county, city and the South Carolina Department of Transportation partnered on plans and funding for the project and people in the area.

Council members recall the tragedies that have happened in the area and say these improvements are essential.

“There are a lot of engaged participants in this community, which is wonderful because we get that feedback and we know exactly what residents are anticipating and what they expect and they have been extremely supportive of the project,” county councilwoman Jenny Honeycutt says.

“A lot more needs to get done; this is just a great example of something that is getting going and we hope to keep this trend going,” Charleston City Councilman Jim McBride says.

Project managers estimate total work will take about 18 months before it is complete.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.