By Casey L. Taylor, JD

Tucked away near Summerville, SC – the place known as “Flowertown, USA” – is a sanctuary dedicated to gibbons (small apes). It’s a jungle-like wonderland that has lifesaving at the core of its mission.

The International Primate Protection League (IPPL) sanctuary is a secret to many locals. It is situated on over 40 acres of land surrounded by lush woods. Neighbors are lucky enough to hear the songs and great calls of these interesting primates throughout the day and night.

The sanctuary is home to 36 gibbons, the smallest of the apes, who have been rescued or retired from laboratories, deplorable “roadside” attractions, or the pet trade. IPPL provides lifetime care to these incredible endangered species and works to educate the community on the plight of gibbons in the wild.

The gibbon residents at the sanctuary have indoor night houses that are hurricane-grade, expansive outdoor habitats, and aerial walkways that give them the choice to safely move about their designated areas as they wish. It is important to the organization that each sanctuary resident is given as much freedom of choice as possible in a captive environment, while keeping them safe. Despite most residents having a rough start to their lives, they thrive at IPPL. They even have some residents nearing the age of 60!

International Outreach

IPPL is a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and preserving the world’s remaining primates, great and small. For the last 45 years, IPPL has made a global impact by securing an export ban on primates from Thailand (saving thousands and thousands of lives) and working with over 20 reputable primate rescue and rehabilitation centers in Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America.

IPPL not only supports their efforts to care for native primates who have been rescued and are in need of rehabilitation or lifetime care, but also to thwart poachers and illegal wildlife traffickers, as well as educate local villages and communities on how they can help be part of the solution in preserving native populations of primates.

Small Team, Big Impact

With a small but mighty team of animal caregivers, maintenance technicians, office staff, and dog nannies, IPPL provides compassionate lifetime care for every resident, which includes nutritious and delicious fresh produce three times a day for the gibbons, as well as veterinary care and enrichment — to stimulate those intelligent minds of theirs!

Forms of enrichment vary from food puzzles that the gibbon must figure out in order to get their healthy treats, to special time with their favorite caregiver. Bubble-blowing is a big hit with some of the gibbons. Tong, who was one of the first four original residents at the sanctuary, loves a good foot rub — what girl doesn’t?

Absolutely nothing beats a life in the wild, but for these residents that is sadly not a reality. The team at IPPL feels that the least they can do is make the rest of these individuals’ lives the happiest and healthiest they can be. From residents used in invasive human vaccination studies and locomotion tests, to those kept in less-than-favorable conditions, IPPL’s sanctuary is a safe and loving place for them to thrive and to live as gibbons should.

Casey L. Taylor, JD is the Executive Director of IPPL.

MORE ABOUT IPPL

The sanctuary is not open to the public as an attraction, but it holds educational events in the community and offers options to visit during special times. Sign up to receive their e-newsletters on their website (www.ippl.org) and be the first to know about opportunities and events.

CHARLESTON, S.C., Feb. 27, 2020 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Charleston Oral and Facial Surgery (COAFS) was voted a 2019 Reader’s Choice recipient by the readers of “Journal Scene.” Named Best Oral Surgeons in the annual Best of Summerville competition, COAFS will be featured in the 2019 Reader’s Choice special edition. Winners in all categories were announced at a party held at The Village of Summerville on February 25, 2020.

PHOTO CAPTION: The physicians of Charleston Oral and Facial Surgery were recently named Best Oral Surgeons by the readers of Journal Scene.

In addition to accolades from Summerville, COAFS was recently named 2020 Best Oral Surgery Practice by Mount Pleasant Magazine. Nearly 50,000 votes were cast by magazine readers.

Led by a team of highly trained, board-certified oral surgeons — Dr. Edward R. Strauss, DMD, MD; Dr. Aaron P. Sarathy, DMD; Dr. A Drane Oliphant, DMD, MD; Dr. Graham Lee, DMD; and Dr. Scott H. Godwin, DMD — Charleston Oral and Facial Surgery has six convenient locations in the Lowcountry area, including Charleston, North Charleston, Summerville, Mount Pleasant, Bluffton and Knightsville.

Some of the practice’s specialties include: total smile transformation, full-arch dental implants, implant-supported dentures, wisdom teeth extraction, same-day dental implants and corrective jaw surgery, to name just a few. Using advanced surgical techniques and state-of-the-art, cutting-edge technology, COAFS maintains a patient-centric philosophy to ensure that every client, regardless of the treatment, receives the ultimate patient experience.

“At COAFS, our surgeons are constantly striving to provide the highest quality care to our patients,” said Dr. Aaron P. Sarathy, DMD. “We strive to give back to the community and to know our patients are recognizing this is a true honor for our doctors and team.”

To learn more about COAFS, visit https://www.charlestonoralandfacialsurgery.com/.

For media inquiries, contact Stacey Kole with Branded Pros at 480.221.5818 or email stacey@brandedpros.com.

COAFS has six locations in the Lowcountry, S.C. area, where its highly trained, board-certified surgeons provide patients with state-of-the-art treatment. With a commitment to cutting-edge technology and ongoing education, Charleston Oral and Facial Surgery offers the most advanced surgical techniques coupled with compassionate to produce the ultimate patient experience — every single time.

More information: https://www.charlestonoralandfacialsurgery.com/

News Source: Charleston Oral and Facial Surgery

DORCHESTER COUNTY, SC (WCSC) - The Dorchester District 2 School Board announced who will take the helm at the three new elementary schools next school year.

Vernisa Bodison will be the principal for the new Alston-Bailey Elementary School. She is currently the principal at Windsor Hill.

Dr. Eugene Sires Elementary School will be led by Laura Blanchard who is currently the principal at William Reeves Elementary.

Dr. Wally Baird will take on the new Sand Hill Elementary School. He is at Knightsville Elementary right now.

The old schools will see some familiar faces as their new principals as some assistant principals will be stepping up in those leadership roles.

A full list of administrative teams can be found below.

Dorchester School District Two has announced the administrative teams of the three new elementary schools opening in the fall of 2016, along with other elementary school administrative changes. The following administrators were named to take the helm at the three new elementary schools beginning with 2016-2017:

Alston-Bailey Elementary School

Vernisa Bodison—Principal, is currently principal at Windsor Hill Arts Infused Elementary

Assistant Principal—to be announced

Dr. Eugene Sires Elementary School

Laura Blanchard—Principal, is currently principal at William M. Reeves, Jr. Elementary

Dan Farmer—Assistant Principal, is currently assistant principal at Fort Dorchester Elementary

Sand Hill Elementary School

Dr. Wally Baird—Principal, is currently principal at Knightsville Elementary

Annette Roper—Assistant Principal, is currently assistant principal at Knightsville Elementary

The following are additional administrative changes for elementary schools beginning with 2016-2017:

Knightsville Elementary School

Claire Sieber—Principal, is currently assistant principal at Knightsville Elementary

Carey Hodge—Assistant Principal (no change)

William M. Reeves, Jr. Elementary School

Natalie Hayes—Principal, is currently assistant principal at William M. Reeves, Jr. Elementary

Michelle Nicholson—Assistant Principal (no change)

Windsor Hill Arts Infused Elementary School

Robert Neuner—Principal, is currently assistant principal at Gregg Middle

Katie Barker—Assistant Principal (no change)

Fort Dorchester Elementary School

Harolyn Hess—Principal (no change)

Gwyn Brock—Assistant Principal (no change)

Rachel Mahaffey—Assistant Principal, is currently assistant principal at Flowertown Elementary

Copyright 2015 WCSC. All rights reserved.

SUMMERVILLE — Tables begin to fill up just past noon at a restaurant 31 miles from downtown Charleston.

Surrounded by chain eateries in a Publix-anchored strip mall, La Cuisine Du Chevalier — or La Chev, as most call it — has the buzz of an energetic lunch crowd ready for some midday human interaction.

A trio of women attempt to corral four children while dunking grilled bread into large white bowls of bouillabaisse, brimming with mussels, shrimp and white fish, all steeping in saffron broth.

Empty black shells are pushed aside at another round mahogany table, where two friends catch up over mussels and glasses of iced tea.

A man sitting solo at a two-top finishes his meal and tells the server he will be back next week.

These are the sights and sounds of a restaurant that’s become a neighborhood lunchtime favorite less than a year after quietly opening in November 2022.

I would have never found La Chev without a tip from a colleague, but I’m glad I came. That satisfaction extends to residents of the Knightsville and Summerville area, who have thanked owner Jason Tucker for bringing his Southern take on French cuisine to them rather than downtown Charleston.

“A lot of people were confused about why I did it here,” said Tucker, a Summerville resident. “I saw the direction of where the homes are going.”

Tucker struck out on his own after cutting his professional teeth at restaurants in Charleston’s French Quarter. Inside the strip center space that previously housed a Ladles sandwich and soup shop, the Johnson & Wales University graduate is teaming up with La Chev’s chef de cuisine, Jonathan DuPriest, who grew up in Knightsville.

Whether it’s crab dip with grilled bread or seared scallops over French onion cheese risotto, DuPriest is consistently coming up with new daily specials that the restaurant posts on its Facebook page, which takes the place of an actual website.

La Chev boasts separate lunch and dinner menus, but there are several crossovers, including the shrimp and grits, crab croquettes and yellowfin tuna — a dish that stood out after two visits to the restaurant.

The lightly-seared tuna, served cold, rests on a steaming hot medley of chopped asparagus, corn, confit tomato and cubed bacon. A speckled cream sauce pulls the vegetables together, adding sweet smokiness to the fresh but mild fish.

“It doesn’t just play with your taste buds, it plays with the temperature sensitivities of your palate, as well,” Tucker said.

With a nice crust and firm pink center, the tuna hits all corners of my mouth, leaving soft, peppery spice behind. Though served as an appetizer, I enjoyed it as my full meal with an order of duck coq au vin dumplings — a fun riff on a French classic — on the side.

During dinner, the white tablecloths are brought out and topped with larger appetizers and mains that allow for some “Lowcountry liberties,” Tucker said.

For instance, crab croquettes are more petite crab cake than filled-and-fried roll, but the flawed descriptor doesn’t take away from each delicate bite. Paired with a light and bright diced cucumber salad, the patties’ crab-to-filler ratio favors the former.

A trio of cheese-adorned meatballs, floating in tomato ragù and served with small wedges of garlic bread, is another appetizer that satisfies without reinventing the wheel.

The same can often be said for the restaurant’s dinner entrees.

Roasted salmon, stuffed with crab and served atop crisp green beans, is one example of an expertly cooked daily special. On the side, Carolina Gold rice is bound with cheese to form a thick patty, bringing substance and salt to the Southern grains.

Steak, which appears to have been marinated and spent some time in the oven, makes up for a lack of crust with a juicy, tender texture — almost reminiscent of the roasted filet of beef my mother serves at Christmas.

Of the six dishes I sampled at La Chev, each one left me without complaints.

There isn’t much in the way of décor, more noticeable during a Monday night dinner service that saw just two occupied tables between 5:45 and 6:45 p.m. This was a far cry from the crowded lunch service I witnessed weeks before, making me ponder if ownership might consider closing their doors on Monday, typically the slowest dining day of the week.

It also made me wonder if this type of restaurant — a place that skirts the line between neighborhood establishment and one worthy of a special night out — can work in this location.

I remain optimistic.

While it’s just four miles from the town’s top restaurants — Laura, Bexley and La Rustica, among others — it’s less crowded and closer to home for many Summerville restaurants.

And as those who have dined at La Chev have likely realized, there isn’t anything like it in Knightsville.

DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — The Dorchester School District Two (DD2) Board of Trustees approved two current administrators on May 8 to serve as principals for the 2023-24 school year.

Jennifer Bates will serve as principal at Dr. Eugene Sires Elementary School and Beth Fiorito will serve as principal at Alston Middle School. Both appoints will be effective on July 1, according to a press release.

Read more: New principals named at Wando High School and Moultrie Middle School

"For these two vacancies we interviewed 15 people, which included 10 internal applicants," Superintendent Shane Robbins said in a statement. "This reflects the high-quality administrators within our schools and supports our vision of preparing them for the next step in leadership. Our interview committee for these positions featured a cross-section of perspectives and feedback. I had the pleasure of meeting with both individuals before making the recommendation to the board, and I am excited to see the difference these leaders will make for their schools’ students and families."

Bates, who currently serves as assistant principal at Knightsville Elementary School, has 25 years of education experience, all in DD2, according to the press release. Her previous roles have included student teacher at Windsor Hill Arts Infused Elementary School, fourth and fifth grade, READ 180, and a special education resource teacher at Beech Hill Elementary School, district elementary special education curriculum interventionist, Title I facilitator, and assistant principal at Windsor Hill.

The press release says Bates earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education from the College of Charleston, her master's degree in special education from the University of Charleston, her master's degree in elementary school administration and leadership from Charleston Southern University, and her National Board Certificate as a middle childhood generalist.

Read more: New principal announced at Pepperhill Elementary School

"I am honored to have the privilege to serve as the principal of Dr. Eugene Sires Elementary School," Bates said in a statement. "I am looking forward to getting to know all the students, staff, families, and community stakeholders to continue to make a positive impact on the community, like Dr. Sires did for his Summerville Elementary School community."

Fiorito, who currently serves as assistant principal at Alston Middle School, has 22 years of education experience, according to the press release. Before becoming an assistant principal at Alston, her previous roles have been on the elementary and middle school levels, including teaching third through fifth grade and then sixth and seventh grade English Language Arts and Academic Core Extension (ACE) at DuBose Middle School.

Read more: Two new principals will join DD2 in the 2023-24 school year

The press release says Fiorito earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education from the University of South Carolina, her master's degree from Cambridge College, her Educational Specialist degree in educational leadership and doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Liberty University, and her National Board Certificate for K-12 literacy.

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"It is my privilege to transition from assistant principal to principal and lead the many talented teachers and students at Alston," Fiorito said in a statement. "I will continue to provide a supportive climate and culture conducive to teaching and learning where each individual student and teacher can experience growth to their highest potential."