Last year, Environment America, a federation of environmental advocacy organizations, ranked the most unsafe beaches in the country based on tests run in 2020.

That year, a total of 23 beaches were tested for fecal indicator bacteria in the state of South Carolina.

Out of four tested counties in South Carolina, the average percentage of potentially unsafe days in South Carolina by county in 2020 ranked Beaufort County as the second safest.

The four South Carolina counties that were tested were Horry, Charleston, Beaufort and Georgetown counties.

The scoring left Beaufort County with a 12% average number of days with potentially unsafe water for beaches in the county.

Comparatively, Horry County, which contains Myrtle Beach, scored a 34% average for potentially unsafe water for beach days.

Not a title to brag about, South Carolina’s own Myrtle Beach scored number one in the state for the most potentially unsafe swimming days in 2020. The testing conducted in Myrtle Beach resulted in potentially unsafe water 84% of the days tested. This average was a result of 70 potentially unsafe days out of 82 testing days.

Contrarily, North Myrtle Beach scored considerably better than its slightly southern counterpart, coming in at 34%, indicating 29 potentially unsafe days out of 87 testing days.

“While we were not able to pinpoint pollution sources for any particular beach, sewage overflows, stormwater runoff, and manure from factory farms, all contain fecal bacteria,” said John Rumpler, the clean water program director at Environment America.

Hilton Head Island tied for the safest number of days along with Isle of Palms and Seabrook Island, both in Charleston County, with a 20% indicator of potentially unsafe days. This comes from two potentially unsafe days out of 10 testing days.

This comes as no surprise as in 2019, Environment America ranked Beaufort County as a clean beach area yet again. In the study, 28 beaches in Beaufort County were tested, and only seven of those had even one “potentially unsafe” day, the report said.

Each beach in the county was tested for 10 or 11 days. Four of the seven beaches were on Hilton Head Island; two were on Harbor Island; one was on Hunting Island, according to a previous Island Packet report.

As for the 2020 report released last year, Myrtle Beach’s reported 84% of potentially unsafe days was one of the biggest percentages in the study, but not the highest overall in the U.S.

Cole Park in Nueces County, Texas scored a 91% average of potentially unsafe days, being broken down by 62 potentially unsafe days in 2020 out of 68 testing days.

Nye Beach in Lincoln County, Oregon scored a 90% average with nine potentially unsafe days out of 10 different testing days.

This story was originally published September 2, 2022 5:00 AM.

SEABROOK ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - Seabrook Island neighbors are petitioning their leaders to cap the number of short-term rentals, stating there is overcrowding due to what they called over-tourism, but the mayor said the town has no plans to do so.

Seabrook Island homeowner Ted Flerlage says over 700 of his neighbors want to cap the number of short-term rentals on the island.

“What we’re trying to do is cap, not end the process of short-term rentals, cap at roughly the present numbers, evaluate what happens after that,” Flerlage said, “and then, determine whether or not we should lower the number of short-term rentals.”

As of June 19, there are 484 of these properties on the island, which residents said has led to overcrowding on the island’s streets and amenities.

Mayor John Gregg said for this year, data gathered over the past few months suggest otherwise.

“We’re not going to be looking at imposing limitations on the number of short-term rental units,” Gregg said.

Coastal Getaways owner Nancy Buck said more people are starting to call the island home, and good rentals are full for around 40% of the year.

She says all of her clients are property owners who rent to help offset the costs of the amenities, taxes and insurance.

“We’ve also gone from 35% permanent residents to 60% residents in the last two years,” Buck said. “Twenty-five percent of the properties have turned over since 2019.”

Buck also adds the majority of the amenities are mostly used by members and not rental guests.

However, the homeowners want the town’s government to hear them out.

“I’d like him to reconsider,” Flerlage said. “I’d like him to look at the reality and listen to the people who are property owners here, the residents on the island. You know, 700 people is a big number.”

“Let’s wait and see how this year goes,” Buck said. “They instituted the short-term rental ordinance couple of years ago, or actually, last year, so let’s give it a full year to see how it goes.”

Both Buck and the homeowners said they want to work out their differences over the next several months to come up with a solution that works for everyone.

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A new chef familiar with South Carolina will now lead The Technical College of the Lowcountry's Culinary Institute of the South.

Chef Francine Marz will serve as dean of the Culinary Institute of the South, a news release said.

The Culinary Institute of the South is a 30,000+-square-foot training facility in Bluffton that features six academic classrooms, two teaching kitchens, one show kitchen, a baking lab, lecture theater, teaching restaurant, and a café, TCL said.

Students can choose from one of three program areas at the Institute: , baking and pastry, culinary, and hospitality, and can elect to earn an associate degree or certificate in these areas.

“I’m very excited about the building and all the potential opportunities that are here,” Marz said. “The team at the culinary school and the college itself were just the right fit.”

Marz, a South Carolina native, said she is excited to be relocating back to her home state and the Lowcountry.

“I love this area and the fact that it is a growing area, and just everything it has to offer,” she said.

Marz has more than 30 years of industry experience, most recently serving as culinary director for Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, TCL said. While at Northampton, Marz oversaw renovation of the school’s student-run restaurant, culinary kitchen and related facilities. She also headed up the college’s culinary program, overseeing faculty, catering and students .

Prior to working for Northampton Community College, Marz worked for Montgomery County Community College in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, where she was responsible for opening its Culinary Arts Institute and launching the school’s curriculum, a news release said..

Before moving into education, TCL said Marz worked in a number of restaurants, hotels and resorts across the country, such as Marriott Hotel and Contemporary Resort in Walt Disney World, often serving in leadership roles or as executive chef.

TCL President Richard Gough said in the news release the college was very happy to have Marz join the team.

“Having worked in the industry and also having opened and worked at not one but two culinary schools similar to ours made her the ideal candidate for the dean’s position,” Gough said. “Her energy and enthusiasm will certainly have an impact.”

Marz earned her doctorate in organizational leadership, innovation and learning last year from Wilmington University in New Castle, Delaware.

She also holds a master’s in business administration with a concentration in international business and finance from Argosy University in Phoenix; a bachelor's in food service management from Johnson & Wales University in Charleston; and associate degrees in baking and pastry and in culinary arts, also from Johnson & Wales. While in college, Marz worked at the Mills House Hotel, Seabrook Island Resort and Peninsula Grill.

Marz replaces Chef Miles Huff, who retired in June. TCL said Huff was instrumental in launching the Culinary Institute of the South, which opened last November.

At 6 years old Lucas Parra joined an unfortunately growing number of children in South Carolina.

He and his mother, Ashlee Parra, were making dinner at their home in West Ashley. Placing his step stool inches away from the stovetop and within arm’s length of his mother, he climbed up to the kitchen counter to make his regular glass of chocolate milk.

Parra was boiling a pot of water on the stove when suddenly, Lucas’s stool gave out underneath him.

As he fell to the floor his right elbow tipped the pot of boiling water over, scalding his face, shoulder and arm.

Drenched in boiling water, his Orange Grove Elementary School sweatshirt clung to his skin, causing second- and third-degree scald burns. He’d just started first grade.

“It was one of the scariest days of my life,” Parra said.

Over 1,000 people in South Carolina will need inpatient burn care each year. And since 2020, a growing number of kids in South Carolina have been hospitalized at the South Carolina Burn Center at MUSC Health, the only inpatient burn care center in the state.

Tiffany Smith is the pediatric burn program coordinator at the center. She said nationally, pediatric burn numbers rose during the pandemic as kids stayed home and cooked more often.

And in 2022 the number of children hospitalized for burn treatment at MUSC increased over 40 percent from 2020.

Smith also serves as the director for Camp ‘Can’ Do, a free five-day camp designed for children who’ve suffered burn injuries and hosted by MUSC Burned Children’s Fund and South Carolina State Firefighters’ Association.

“What’s really great about the camp is they can be with other kids who have been through similar experiences,” Parra said. “They’re able to be with kids who understand what it’s like to be looked at because they have scars.”

This year marks the camp’s first year back in operation since taking a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19 restrictions. Kids ages 6-17 bunkered down at Camp St. Christopher on Seabrook Island Aug. 6-11.

“It was amazing to watch these children just be kids and not worry about their burn injury or if they had a scar and live life to the fullest,” Smith told The Post and Courier.

A lasting impression

Days at Camp ‘Can’ Do start early, with campers rising at 6 a.m. to go fishing on the docks, followed by a group breakfast and activities based on the theme for that year.

This year’s theme was “Under the Sea,” so campers visited the Splash Zone water park on James Island and the South Carolina Aquarium, ending their evenings beachside.

For many camp volunteers like firefighters, pediatric burn team members and adult burn survivors, working with burn survivors every year leaves a lasting impression on both parties.

This was the case for Ross Vezin, deputy chief of operations for the Beaufort Port Royal Fire Department and camp counselor for more than 10 years.

He recalled years ago, watching one of his campers who’d been severely burned in a house fire as an infant catch his first fish at the docks at Camp St. Christopher.

The camper’s burns were so severe his hands, nose and ears were unsalvageable, and left him with a prosthetic nose and ears.

“To see him catch a fish for the first time with no fingers or hands, just using his arm to reel in the fish down at the fishing dock at 7 a.m. kind of changed my life,” Vezin said.

“All he had on his face the rest of the week was a smile,” Vezin added.

In the blink of an eye

Smith said most of the burns she sees at MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital are scald burns, which occur when exposed to hot liquid or vapor.

She said many of these patients can heal within seven days depending on the depth and size of the burn. But there are instances where a patient needs surgery, like a skin substitute or autograph, the process of taking skin from a different part of the patient’s body and placing it over the burn to heal.

Lucas has had two surgeries since his incident nearly 10 years ago. One was a skin substitute. The other was to perfect the look of one the scars on his right arm.

“As a mom, you think something like this will never happen to you,” Parra said. “But it happened in the blink of an eye.”

Lucas was invited to the camp the summer of 2013 by his nurses at the Medical University of South Carolina, months after his accident. They helped care for him after his skin graph surgery and were instrumental in getting the program started.

Now 15 years old and a sophomore at West Ashley High School, Lucas has attended every camp since 2013.

He’s not afraid of the kitchen

According to a recent report from the National Library of Medicine, nearly 20 percent of school-aged children experienced significant traumatic stress reactions less than a month after sustaining a burn.

The reactions include avoidance, hyperarousal and flashbacks. The report also found that some kids feel a “reexperience” every time they mention their burn injury and many are worried about whether they will fully recover.

Parra said she is proud of the way Lucas has dealt with the hardships of having a burn injury. Whether it’s standing up to a middle school bully or volunteering and advocating for the Burned Children’s Fund, Lucas hasn’t let his injury hinder his progress.

“He’s still very outgoing and likes to tell jokes and laugh,” Parra said.

Lucas also works at the Early Bird Diner in Charleston as a dishwasher and busboy and hopes to graduate to line cook in the near future.

“Its funny,” Parra said proudly, “he’s really not afraid to be in the kitchen. Now, he’s big into culinary arts.”

It’s high time you added this Lowcountry destination to your beach bucket list.

Follow winding, oak-shaded roads 25 miles southwest of downtown Charleston's cobblestone streets and celebrated restaurant scene, and you'll find yourself on Kiawah Island. Carved by the Kiawah River on one side and fronting the Atlantic Ocean on the other, the barrier island is a true escape. Here, nature reigns supreme: ten miles of beaches roll out along the Atlantic; cicadas form their own sort of soundtrack; and lights-out is often determined by the sea turtles' nesting season. Even so, there's plenty to do for travelers who like their time in nature punctuated with good food, luxurious creature comforts, and a frozen drink in hand. Here are seven things to do in Kiawah Island, South Carolina.

Stay Like a Local

For access to all of Kiawah's amenities, from bike rentals to pools, you'll have to stay on the island. For an experience that's luxurious but unpretentious, book a room at The Sanctuary, an oceanfront hotel known for its five-star service and elevated onsite dining. For families who want a little room to spread out (or a kitchen), villa and home rentals are a smart choice; reserve through the resort directly, or book through a site like VRBO or Airbnb.

Spend a Day on the Sand

On the west end of the island, Beachwalker Park is Kiawah's only public beach access feels like a hidden gem, thanks to its wide, unspoiled expanses of sand. It offers the best of both worlds too: in addition to the ocean frontage, you can also score views of the Kiawah River here.

Hit the Links

Five state-of-the-art golf courses are open to the public. For avid fans of the sport, the Ocean Course alone makes Kiawah worth the trip. Host to two PGA Championships, the 18-hole course is not for the faint of heart. Raised above the dunes to capitalize on the expansive shore views, golfers are also subjected to ocean breezes (which don't exactly make for an easy or predictable trip around the green). Try Cougar Point for marsh views and a slightly less technical experience.

Go for a Cruise

One of the best ways to explore the island is to leave the car in park and take a beach cruiser for a spin (you can reserve them through the resort or bring your own). Between 30 miles of paved trails and 10 miles of hard-packed beach, there's no shortage of routes to explore. Ask for directions to the Marsh View Tower, an observation deck primed for birdwatching and soaking in the marsh and river scenery.

Visit Heron Park Nature Center

The naturalists here will school you in many of the species who call the island home, from bobcats and white-tailed deer to loggerhead sea turtles and American alligators. Sign up for a guided tour, like "Back Island Birding", "Marsh Kayaking," or "Ocean Seining and Beach Combing," or ask for their recommendations for the best nature-spotting places in the area.

Explore Freshfields Village

Built around a lush lawn, Freshfields Village has plenty of restaurants and shops to explore, plus a boutique stay, the Andell Inn. Pick up a beach read at Indigo Books; snag treats for your four-legged friends at Dolitte's; and gear up for island adventures SeaCoast Sports and Outfitters. Start the morning with coffee and a breakfast sandwich from Java Java; settle in for grilled cheese and a milkshake at retro Vincent's Drugstore & Soda Fountain; or cap off the day with house-made frosé from newly opened The Co-Op. Check their calendar for seasonal events, like summertime's "Music on the Green" concert series and farmer's market.

Venture to Bohicket Marina & Market

Make the short drive to neighboring Seabrook Island for a taste of the area's salty maritime culture. Snag a umbrella-shaded table on the upper deck at Salty Dog Café for fresh catch, a cold beer, and riverfront views of the boats coming and going from the marina.