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Ladson, SC – Beyond an obsession for battling big fish, there’s one thing upon which anglers almost universally agree: Clean, healthy waterways and flourishing fish habitat lie at the heart of everything we hold sacred.

Count the people at Z-Man Fishing among America’s 60 million anglers—everyday folks you might meet at the tackle shop or along the shoreline. At some point each day, we’ll stop casting, survey our surroundings and simply marvel at the beauty both above the surface and below; we’ll pause to ponder what this awe-inspiring place might look like, 5, 10 or 100 years from now. It’s at times like these that anglers grasp their power to write the future—the same reason Z-Man has for years been working creatively, quietly, to help sustain healthy, vibrant fisheries behind the scenes.

It began early in the company’s 30-year history. From the beginning, Z-Man understood the value of supporting causes that ensure long-term sustainability of fisheries and aquatic environments. These motivations are evident in Z-Man’s product line itself, as its 10X Tough ElaZtech® soft plastic material exhibits advantages that lessen its environmental impact relative to other soft baits.

Not only does ElaZtech’s boosted durability reduce the number of soft plastic baits used by anglers, ingested by fish or discarded in the water, Z-Man’s specialized material is also one-hundred percent non-toxic and free from harmful chemicals like phthalates. Additionally, ElaZtech floats and is FDA Food Grade compliant—as opposed to traditional plastisol baits, which sink to the bottom and can be ingested by fish and other wildlife, sometimes causing digestive problems among other issues. Conversely, any inadvertently discarded ElaZtech baits will float and can be easily scooped from the water’s surface and responsibly disposed.

Part of Z-Man’s mission has always been to further causes that preserve healthy ecosystems and enhance fishing opportunities. Today, Z-Man’s support of such initiatives ranges from backing action-oriented groups like Captains for Clean Water and Release Over 20 to empowering future fisheries management via Z-Man endowed graduate research assistantships at the University of Florida’s Nature Coast Biological Station in Cedar Key.

When seeking out opportunities to conserve cherished fisheries by minimizing its impact on nature, Z-Man management identified essential actions toward meaningfully reducing its carbon footprint. “Two aspects of our manufacturing process that we’ve always felt could be improved upon include minimizing the power we pull from the electrical grid and finding a way to recycle manufacturing waste from our ElaZtech production line,” remarks Z-Man President Daniel Nussbaum, a longtime conservationist and forward-thinking fishing industry executive. “Most any company can purchase enough carbon offsets to claim that it’s carbon neutral, but our goal was to find ways to actually reduce the impact of our production-related activities.” As a result of its initiatives, Z-Man recently achieved exciting benchmarks in an ongoing quest to give back to aquatic environments.

Last year, phase one of the Z-Man sustainability program included installing a broad solar-panel array with the goal of self-generating a perpetual power supply. By nature, solar is a low emission power source; solar panels themselves produce zero pollution. Conventional energy sources, by contrast, typically involve the burning of fossil fuels, which emit up to 37 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide into the global atmosphere, annually.

Nussbaum summarizes the early returns: “Following just one year of solar power generation, we’re nearly one-hundred percent self-sufficient,” he says. “In fact, rather than paying big energy bills during the summer, we’re actually selling electricity back to the power company. It’s a pretty exciting development that’s exceeded our initial hopes and started us well down a path toward minimizing our carbon footprint.”

Specific to the on-site manufacture of its environmentally benign ElaZtech softbaits, Z-Man recently achieved a second sustainability milestone. For the last few years, Z-Man staff has been searching for ways to prevent its manufacturing waste from entering landfills. Despite challenges in recycling this unique material—largely due to the pigments, glitter and salt used in fishing lure production—Z-Man ultimately devised a successful plan.

“Even though ElaZtech is completely non-toxic, we still felt it was critical to keep our leftover manufacturing material out of landfills,” asserts Nussbaum, who helped formulate a two-part solution. “First, we worked hard to devise a way to efficiently reprocess around sixty percent of our scrap ElaZtech material to manufacture new baits. We also re-use the excess material to flush out and clean our machines.

“Second, and maybe the most exciting aspect of our plan is working with a third-party re-processor of manufacturing waste that is able to repurpose the material,” Nussbaum continues. “After years of searching, we finally found a company that is able to use our ElaZtech waste as an ingredient in new shoe soles. Besides the environmental benefits of keeping these materials out of landfills, recycling has yielded a major cost savings over traditional waste disposal methods.”

At least part of the allure of fishing is that all participants can create positive, edifying outcomes while on the water—from catch and release to collecting trash along the shoreline and properly disposing of used fishing line and lures. Easy solutions are already at our fingertips, individually or organization wide. Every effort helps, always with the promise of sustaining natural places where water flows and wild fish reside.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/276629/global-co2-emissions/

A dynamic Charleston, South Carolina based company, Z-Man Fishing Products has melded leading edge fishing tackle with technology for nearly three decades. Z-Man has long been among the industry’s largest suppliers of silicone skirt material used in jigs, spinnerbaits and other lures. Creator of the Original ChatterBait®, Z-Man is also the renowned innovators of 10X Tough ElaZtech softbaits, fast becoming the most coveted baits in fresh- and saltwater. Z-Man is one of the fastest-growing lure brands worldwide.

LADSON, S.C. (WCBD)- The annual Coastal Carolina Fair is underway at Exchange Park in Ladson.

Most fairgoers have their eyes and stomachs on fair food for the first day.

“They always have good food and it’s just a good time to spend with family. They have a little arts and crafts center where you can see the students’ local talents,” said Jasmine Kelly.

“Sausage dogs and French fries. Walk around and look and see what’s going on,” said Woody Barsha.

One of the new food items on the menu is an Oreo cookie crusted turkey leg.

“No I don’t think so I’ll stick to French fries,” said Barsha.

“I can’t eat that much, but I will have an elephant ear,” said Kelly.

There are 10 new rides this year as well. One of them is a Ferris Wheel that’s 12 stories tall and comes from The Netherlands.

Fair organizers say that those new attraction and food items are great additions, but having a full-scale fair is also something to celebrate.

“We’re really excited about opening up because this is the first really big open fair we’ve had since COVID-19 has happened. We say ‘New in 22,’ and that’s what we’re doing because we have brand new rides, we have many new food vendors so we’re really excited about starting the year off right,” said Gary Leonard from the office of Media and Publicity Relations at the Coastal Carolina Fair.

Most families make the fair a tradition, but it’s even more special for Dan Caskey.

“Today’s my birthday. Every year I have a party and bring this to town to share with everybody else. It’s a great tradition. We love coming out here and having a fun time with the family,” said Caskey.

The fair runs for 12 days and hours of operation can be found here. A calendar of events can be found here.

Let's get to it:

ZACHARY BENDER FROM BEDFORD, PA: How do you think the addition of Patrick Peterson will complement a Pittsburgh defense that already has T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick? ANSWER: With regards to specific schematics, it's all a guess now as to how the Steelers are going to deploy Patrick Peterson, how his addition to the secondary might impact the usage of different coverage schemes, and how his specific skill-set will mesh with the other 10 players on the field. Peterson is a proven NFL starting cornerback, and based on everything he has said since the contract agreement became public indicates he's excited about joining the Steelers. Adding talented, proven players who are committed "volunteers and not hostages" can be nothing but a good thing.

NICK MOSES FROM SIMI VALLEY, CA: So, we lost a good cornerback who was 28, and signed a once great cornerback who is now 32. Did we win or lose in that exchange of cornerbacks? ANSWER: From the tone of your question, I sense you already have made up your mind. You got the respective ages of Cam Sutton (28) and Patrick Peterson (32) correct, but it's not always about a battle of the birth certificates.

In his last 3 seasons, Peterson has 9 interceptions, and in his 6-year career, Sutton has 8. In his last 3 seasons, Peterson has 28 passes defensed, and in his 6-year career, Sutton has 38. And maybe Peterson is 32, but in his entire 12-year career he has never played fewer than 92 percent of his team's defensive snaps over the course of a season, and in his last 5 years, he has played in 99, 97, 99, 98, and 95 percent, respectively. Clearly, he is reliable and available. Also, Peterson's 2-year contract is paying out less total money and less guaranteed money than Sutton's 3-year deal with the Lions. I like Sutton as a player and always have, but Peterson has a better pedigree and still is playing at a high level. I'd label it a good deal for all involved.

THOMAS WARD FROM LADSON, SC: You quoted Dan Rooney as saying something along the lines of, the object is to win Super Bowls and not the draft. But doesn't it make sense that winning drafts will help you win Super Bowls? Would you say that the 1974 draft and the drafts from 1969 up to 1974 were draft wins that led to 4 Super Bowl wins? ANSWER: You completely misconstrued what Dan Rooney meant. "Winning the draft" doesn't refer to the process of evaluating the prospects fairly and accurately and then picking the best players regardless of position to build a contending team. "Winning the draft" is the effort to do the popular thing, to make the attention-grabbing moves, such as making multiple trades up or down in rounds, or picking players based more on Combine workouts than game video. When a team tries to "win the draft," that means it's attempting to curry favor with the analysts who hand out instant grades for a job that cannot be evaluated correctly for some years into the future. You mentioned the 1974 draft class, well here is one instant analysis of the team's performance on the first day, which included rounds 1-through-5 and brought the team Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, Jimmy Allen, and Mike Webster: "The Steelers seem to have come out of the first five rounds of the draft appreciably strengthened at wide receiver but nowhere else. They didn't get a tight end, and the ones remaining are more suspect than prospect. They didn't get a punter, although none of the nation's best collegiate punters went in the first five rounds. They didn't get an offensive tackle who might've shored up what could well become a weakness. What they did get was Swann, who seems to be a sure-pop to help; Lambert, who figures to be the No. 5 linebacker if he pans out; and three question marks." In that critic's assessment, the Steelers failed miserably to "win the draft," even though history now proves that it was the biggest victory in the history of the exercise. Maybe he would've been happier if they had picked a punter.

RON WILLIAMS FROM ASTORIA, NY: The Steelers in my opinion have always had a very smart business outlook when it comes to choosing players, as well as coaches. You have been with the organization for a very long time and have seen a lot of changes throughout the years. My question for you is, do you have a favorite player and who do you think was the best coach? ANSWER: It surprises me to believe these questions even need to be asked, because of the obviousness of the answers. The best coach is Chuck Noll, and the favorite player is Joe Greene.

JEFFREY DIETZ FROM DANVILLE, PA: With the pending signing of Patrick Peterson in free agency, who was the last veteran signee who turned into a major contributor/Pro Bowl-caliber addition? The only one that I can think of was Kevin Greene. ANSWER: Since the Steelers never have used free agency as a preferred mechanism to add top-of-the-depth talent to their roster, there aren't a lot of examples of the team adding unrestricted free agents who then go on to make Pro Bowl-caliber contributions. The most recent player who comes to mind is Joe Haden, who was signed before the preseason finale in 2017. But even though Haden played a lot of good football for the Steelers as a starting cornerback and was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2019, he signed with the Steelers after being released by the Browns, and so he wasn't technically classified as an unrestricted free agent. Jeff Hartings, signed in 2001, and James Farrior, signed in 2002, both were voted first-team All-Pro after coming to the Steelers.

TAD TUCKER FROM SPRINGFIELD, IL: I'm expecting a left tackle to be drafted with our picks in the first or second rounds, so do you think Dan Moore Jr. can play right tackle or maybe move to left guard? ANSWER: I see the Steelers using the upcoming draft to add a player capable of playing tackle in the NFL, but I'm not certain in what round that might happen, nor am I sure the rookie will be starting for the regular season opener. It's not realistic to assume/expect 2022's starting tackles – Dan Moore Jr. and Chuks Okorafor – to play 100 percent of the offensive snaps as they did last season, and so having more than two is required. Don't get ahead of yourself. There's a lot of on-field work between today and the 2023 regular season opener. Let the competition unfold, and the starters will reveal themselves.

FRANCIS SURAGE FROM TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA: I read the Bears could possibly try to trade Chase Claypool to another team. My son and I loved Claypool from the moment the Steelers drafted him in 2020, and I was wondering if the team would have any interest in possibly trading to bring him back. ANSWER: Judging it from afar and as a general rule, I imagine trading a player and then bringing him back via another trade so soon afterward would be of little interest to either side.

TOM RENWICK FROM MONROE, MI: What are the advantages of college players having Pro Days, other than more exposure? ANSWER: A Pro Day is a workout for the player on his home turf, and there certainly is a level of comfort there. There also are fewer players participating during a college pro day than at the Combine, which allows for a better opportunity for them to shine on the field and get a better chance to make a positive impression on the NFL representatives attending.

WILL JAHN FROM TRAVERSE CITY, MI: I may be missing something, but why is there such interest in mock drafts? ANSWER: If you are actually trying to tell me you have no interest in a months-long guessing game, all I can say is: Me neither

JAQUAVE VUN FROM ERIE, PA: With the Steelers having the 17th overall pick in the first round and the draft assets to move up, do you think they may move up for a quarterback such as Anthony Richardson, who can learn behind Kenny Pickett? ANSWER: My first reaction was to assume this was some kind of hoax or prank. But if it's not, and you're actually serious about using premium picks in the upcoming draft to trade up in the first round and select a quarterback one year after using a first-round pick on a quarterback so that one of them could learn behind the other, all I have for you is: Please look both ways before crossing the street.

LADSON, S.C. (WCSC) - A free closet is helping young girls in the community find their inner and outer beauty ahead of this year’s prom season.

Tiana’s Closet started in 2018 and creates a shopping experience for girls who may not have the opportunity to get the dress of their dreams.

The closet is made possible by donations of dresses, shoes, jewelry and purses.

Director of Tiana’s Closet Andrea Hampton Mills says every girl deserves a night to remember, and they hope that shopping at Tiana’s Closet can give them that experience.

“Our ultimate goal is for these young ladies to leave with a smile on their faces,” Mills says. “When they walk in the door, they need to feel love, and when they walk out they need to. That’s really what we’re all about is making these girls know that they’re worthy and they are deserving.”

They dressed over 30 girls Saturday from head to toe but also included affirmations for them to remember their self-worth regardless of their appearance. Some of the positive affirmations include self-worth, being resilient, body image and planning for the future.

“It means the world to me,” Tiana’s Closet volunteer Kayla Lofton-Black says. “I remember at that time, I’ve always been a chunky baby, so being able to help young ladies find dresses that fit their body and that makes them feel confident and beautiful; it’s just everything to me. I’m really glad that I got to be a part of this today.”

Tiana’s Closet takes donations all year long to prepare for the event and clean anything that may be dirty before giving it to the girls. They have locations in Ladson, Summerville, Moncks Corner and Holly Hill.

“Just knowing how many girls deserve a night to remember, but sometimes it’s difficult, we want to bridge that gap,” Mills says.

The event was from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, but if you are in need of a prom dress this spring, girls can still shop the closet.

Contact Tiana’s Closet on Facebook or call 762-529-4183 to schedule a shopping appointment between March 5 and 19.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

LADSON, S.C. (WCBD) – Several people are sifting through what is left of their belongings after a major fire broke out at a Ladson storage facility on Tuesday morning.

The emergency call came in at 7:46 a.m. saying Ladson Self Storage was on fire. The fire destroyed a dozen units at the facility off Highway 78.

Wesley Cliff, who owns Living Rock Landscapes, keeps tools, equipment, and some vehicles for his company at the storage facility.

“I was on my way to work this morning and I pull up to the front of the gate and there’s a guy out there – he’s bleeding from his head, and he just asked for help, and call 9-1-1,” said Cliff.

Cliff said he was just trying to figure out what was going on.

“I look in through the gate and I see up there, I mean there’s smoke everywhere. So, I drive to the back and there’s multiple units on fire,” he recalled.

The fire was ripping through the storage units.

“There was another guy running from the back- he’s coming up to the front saying call 911, and about that time these guys were already here, and they pulled in there and they started getting everything unloaded and started fighting the fire and cutting the doors open. It was a pretty big fire. Got pretty big for a minute,” said Cliff.

12 units were destroyed by fire or heavy smoke damage.

“Units went to work immediately pulling hand lines, starting to extinguish the fire,” explained Battalion Chief Charles Evans with C&B Fire Department.

Numerous fire departments responded. The cause of the fire is undetermined at this point.

And as for the man with blood on his head, officials told News 2 he had minor injuries that did not require EMS transportation.

“Sounds like he was in the unit, perhaps fell down a ladder or some stairs, and one of the units when he was trying to get away to report the fire,” said Batt. Chief Evans.

“Luckily for us, it wasn’t one of our units. But unfortunately, there were some other contractors back there. It was their units; it’s a total loss for those guys. It’s sad that that stuff happens, but they got here fast, they got it put out pretty quickly,” said Cliff.

Crews were on the scene for several hours as they worked to extinguish the flames.