Historically Black SC Beach town plans new future + 4th of July
Happy Friday! It’s Chase Karacostas.
This week, I wrote about Ringo, a 10-foot octopus made out of wire and trash, and his home, the Myrtle Beach Art Museum. The museum celebrated its 25th anniversary this month and is now pondering moving downtown to a bigger space to better connect with locals and visitors.
Also in Myrtle Beach, The State’s Sammy Fretwell wrote about how one of the last undeveloped stretches of shoreline in the area, Waties Island, will be protected following a protracted court battle.
Here’s what is going on around South Carolina, plus some tips for celebrating the Fourth of July.
1. This historically Black beach town lost half its population. Now it wants a revival. Will it work?
As I looked through census data last August, I made a startling discovery. From 2010 to 2020, one of South Carolina’s most famous Black communities lost nearly half its population.
The town of Atlantic Beach is a jewel of the coast. Through circumstances intentional and not, its beaches and ocean views have been delicately preserved — the town lacks the massive crowds and giant hotels that fill the rest of the Grand Strand.
For decades, the town was a mecca for African Americans across the eastern seaboard. The famous Atlantic Beach Bike Fest started there in 1982 and grew with the rest of the town.
But 20 years ago, the town fell into decline. The roads, and the town’s few sidewalks, are in disrepair. Longtime businesses closed. The town’s elders began dying off — with few to replace them.
Then, in 2020, a switch flipped. “People have discovered our little enclave,” Town Manager Benjamin Quattlebaum told me.
People want in on this hidden paradise. New houses are cropping up everywhere. There’s talk of new restaurants, even an oceanfront hotel.
I spent two and a half monthsreporting this story, learning about the vision town leaders, residents and property owners have for a utopic future for Atlantic Beach. But, the ultimate question remains. Will their plans become reality?
2. Fourth of July in South Carolina
The Fourth of July has long been one of my favorite holidays. My brother’s birthday is the fifth, so it meant that even when he worked or went to school far away, I always knew when I could see him every summer.
And that holiday is finally upon us. Here’s how to celebrate it across South Carolina.
Looking to watch some fireworks? Here are events and shows in Columbia, Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach.
Want to shoot fireworks off yourself? Check out these 10 new fireworks available for sale in Columbia. And in Myrtle Beach, be sure to read up on the new set of rules for firing them off.
Watch out for the weather. Columbia and Myrtle Beach are likely to see rain through much of the weekend. Don’t forget to check whether your chosen fireworks display is still happening before heading out Monday night.
Keep a close eye on your pets! Fireworks throughout the weekend might scare them. Here are 11 tips to help them feel better and stay safe.
3. ‘No Means No.’ An investigation into botched sexual assault investigations at Winthrop University.
In 2020, Rhianna Rausch had already been waiting for months to find out the outcome of an investigation into her alleged sexual assault at a Winthrop University fraternity in 2019.
And one afternoon, an email popped up on her phone from the school. The investigation’s results were finally in her hands.
It said nothing about a sexual assault.
Now, three years after her alleged assault, her ordeal remains unresolved. She’s not alone.
This week, The Herald’s Cailyn Derickson published a multi-part series looking into Winthrop’s failures in Title IX sexual assault investigations.
Read part one, about what happened to Rausch; part two, about other students the university failed; part three, about how changes the school made to its investigation systems still didn’t solve the problem; and part four, a guide to making a Title IX report.
4. ‘They understand me.’ Beaufort schools use new technology for students with autism
Before toying with Legos, but after playground time, students with autism at Okatie Elementary School’s Camp BLAST were using a robot in the classroom to help with social and behavioral skills.
“My favorite thing about them is they use all five ways people communicate to teach students,” said Isaac Pepin, a 7th-grade student with autism at River Ridge Academy. Those five ways are verbal, non-verbal, written and visual communication as well as listening.
Isaac is one of at least 10 students that attended the two-week Camp BLAST (Behavior, Language, and Sensory/Social Transition) with Milo and Veda, two of the robots from RoboKind, a Texas-based company creating realistic robots that mirror human facial expressions.
Both robots can walk, talk and dance. During their 10-minute lessons with students, they delve into concepts such as what to do at a birthday party, said Maegan Mallon, a teacher at Bluffton Elementary School.
“Some of my kids use more words with Milo or Veda than they do with me,” Mallon said. “Some parents have noticed a difference; they’re using more words at home.”
The robots have given hope for new ways to teach and communicate with autistic children. Read The Island Packet’s Sofia Sanchez’ story about Milo and Veda and how they helped Beaufort students this summer.
5. Return of whitewater: Chester County town hopes new park, rapids bring needed growth
More than 115 years have passed since two dams were built on the Catawba River in the sleepy town of Great Falls to power three textile mills — mills that closed decades ago.
There is little left in the town. Just one grocery store, and a few restaurants.
Now, town and state leaders are hoping restaurants, shops, hotels and tourism-based companies will flood into town with the completion of a wide-scale project on the Catawba River that will create new recreational channels on the river for kayaking.
The project by Duke Energy is about 70% complete and facilities will open in 2023.
It features many components — public to access channels on the river, a state park with hiking trails, an historic visitor’s center, a pedestrian bridge, a 3,000-foot hiking trail on an island, parking and restrooms — all within three miles.
S.C. Sen. Mike Fanning called it “a game-changer.”
One of the biggest draws will be the rapids. The channels will feature Class II and III rapids, good for families and those wanting a leisurely ride, as well as Class III and IV, geared toward more experienced kayakers. The Herald’s Tracy Kimball has all the details.
What I’m Reading
On Wednesday, the most powerful earthquakes since at least 2014 shook the Midlands. They are the latest in a “swarm” of quakes and could possibly be part of the longest run of earthquakes in history. The State wrote about whether mining might be causing them, and how the epicenter of the latest quakes, the town of Elgin, plans to meet soon to discuss the ongoing issue.
Also in the Midlands, a 2-year-old disabled patient at Prisma Health in Columbia got his first test drive of a medically-modified mini-car thanks to the fundraising work of three young local students, The State’s Patrick McCreless reports.
And The State’s Holly Poag went to the Miss SC 2022 Pageant last weekend where Miss Hartsville Jill Dudley was crowned Miss South Carolina and Miss Clemson Teen Piper Holt, 17, won the Miss South Carolina Teen Pageant.
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