Groove to the Music with Dance Classes Near Hanahan, SC

HANAHAN — A parade of emergency response vehicles and a school bus were the first to drive a newly opened mile-long stretch of Railroad Avenue, a road project recently completed after years of work.

The extension runs from Mabeline Road to Eagle Landing Boulevard, adding a two-lane roadway along the eastern side of the existing CSX rail line, with a sidewalk along one side of the road.

Though only a mile, the new stretch connects the northwest corner of the city, where several neighborhoods and Hanahan Elementary School are, to the rest of the city, said Mayor Christie Rainwater.

Prior to the extension, drivers had to take a roundabout route and cross the railroad tracks twice.

“In order to get to the Eagle Landing ... part of the city, you actually had to leave the city, cross over the railroad tracks, go to another city (North Charleston), and then go down Rivers Avenue, cross back over the railroad tracks and get back into (Hanahan),” she said. “So obviously it was inconvenient to say the least.”

It was also completed after more than two decades of delays, which ballooned the cost from a $4 million federal earmark in the 1990s to more than $20 million by the time the county broke ground on the project in 2021.

Berkeley County’s 1 percent sales tax to pay for infrastructure contributed more than $16 million to the funding.

Officials said the delays were due to a number of bureaucratic hurdles and discussions between the county, the S.C. Department of Transportation and CSX, all of which had to review and approve various aspects of the project. Funding issues contributed as well, Rainwater said — the longer other delays took, the more expensive the project became and the more time it took to secure further funding.

Town and county officials held a ribbon cutting for the road extension on March 17, with a cohort of former mayors and other public officials in attendance such as former U.S. Rep. Henry Brown, who helped secure the initial federal earmark. Officials, local emergency responders and other attendees took to the school bus and emergency vehicles to drive through a blue ribbon and up the mile of road.

Musicians and business owners across the Charleston area will be celebrated for their achievements at the annual Lowcountry Music Hall of Fame.

The idea to create a local celebration for the area’s musicians came from Michael Davis in 2015. Davis owns the 25-plus-year-old Ye Olde Music Shop in Hanahan. The store is advertised as the largest Gibson, Fender, Martin, Taylor and Paul Reed Smith dealer in South Carolina. Davis was inspired by his business and customers to create a new Lowcountry tradition that went beyond his beloved shop.

The Hall of Fame has inducted several well-known Charleston artists, as well as some “unsung heroes” who can benefit from the recognition. The inaugural ceremony in 2015 inducted local music stores, politicians and music schools, with the tradition continuing into 2023.

The Lowcountry Hall of Fame will introduce 15 artists, business owners and radio personalities into the 2023 catalogue.

Attendees can enjoy food trucks, music mastery and good times with local music lovers at the induction ceremony for the 2023 Lowcountry Music Hall of Fame at 1 p.m. Oct. 22 at the Hanahan Amphitheater, 3100 Amphitheater Ave.

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve likely heard a co-worker or family member mention that they’re restarting their “Gilmore Girls” binge. While the wildly popular TV series celebrates its 23rd anniversary this year, lead actress Lauren Graham, the well-known and well-loved, quick-witted Lorelai Gilmore, is keeping busy.

In the past couple of years, not only has she starred in and executively produced (and directed an episode of!) the Disney+ series “The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers”, Graham also penned a new memoir “Have I Told You This Already?” where she reflects on her early days in the entertainment industry as well as present-day battles, a la retelling a story to death.

This month, she embarked on her first-ever book tour, despite having written several. The paperback re-release sparked an intimate, six-show tour, with Charleston as the elusive halfway stop.

The New York Times-bestselling author visited The Riviera Theater downtown for a sold-out show on Nov. 18. She caught up with The Post and Courier ahead of time to share insights on her novel.

Q: Charleston is the only Southeastern show on your tour; have you visited before?

A: I’ve never been to Charleston before! This was experimental on many levels in terms of having never gotten to do a book tour before because either I was working or, when the hardcover came out was my wonderfully-timed COVID-19 exposure. I just wanted to do a “sampling” — starting from one end of the country and ending up in the other.

Visual Arts

Q: This is not your first foray into memoir style. How does “Have I Told You This Already?” expand on the experiences you’ve shared in previous novels?

A: I think it’s a product of having done the first one and, in that process, just beginning a deeper reflection of what my experience in this business [acting] but also just in life, has been. As you get farther from an experience, the reality of it changes in your memory. I’ve been thinking a lot about memory and storytelling. In my first book, my dad would say, “That’s not how it happened! It was different!” I’ve had to say, “Well that’s how I remember it.”

Q: What is your writing process like?

A: The purpose of the book is, “Here’s how I remember it,” except in the case of the first essay, which is a story of my dad misremembering something and having told it to me incorrectly my entire life! What is interesting, about this process and this book, is how many people I got to reflect with. Like my friend Cathy. I think I mentioned her like eight or nine times in the book because she’s been my friend since we were 18 years old, so she’s part of many of these experiences, and that’s one of the people from whom the phrase “Have I told you this already?” came from because it’s such a joke and we’ve known each other for so long. Sometimes I’m telling her a story and she’s like, “Yeah, I was there.” We have these histories. It’s fun to look back at where I started and how far I got.

Q: In “Have I Told You This Already?”, you look closely at your early acting experiences. Describe that world.

A: The process has changed so much, I wouldn’t have expected it (the memoir) to be historical fiction! [Laughs] The way I started, the way my peers came up, it just doesn’t exist to the same degree anymore because (now) you can do so much from your house. I think there’s a loss in that. I think part of the footwork, the actual pavement-pounding, that we all did back then formed a community. You’d see who else was at the auditions. You’d see who got the job. You’d hear people through the door, you know? All that created a sense of, “We’re all doing this, we’re all trying.” You’d see somebody get a show and you’d think, “Well that could be me. I’ve been to those rooms, too.” I think, as with all technology, we’re missing some of the fellowship we used to have.

Charleston Scene

Q: And now you’re back, connecting with your community. What’s that like after such a lengthy break?

A: What I’m feeling in these rooms is kind of a hunger for live experiences because this is way more rowdy than a book signing, but I couldn’t quite call it an “evening of theatre.” I’m (touring) with my friend, and we’ve done this a couple of times. We try to structure it so people can get some stories of experience and process, but also some fun, behind-the-scenes things that I haven’t talked about before. It creates a connection to the show and to the books.

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A new director’s cut of a music video released by popular pop band ARIZONA and to be featured at SXSW has a local connection.

One of the brains behind the conceptual video is Owen Brown, founder of Charleston’s branch of a national concert series program called Sofar Sounds and an award-winning director who has worked with former President Barack Obama, Apple and Budweiser, among other names and brands.

Owen is the founder of CTRL5, a creative agency of artists who were behind the land art music video for ARIZONA’s song “Moving On,” created with the Navajo Nation.

“We decided on a visual identity that combines iconic Arizona landscapes with modern art and design principles,” shared Brown. “Picture a James Turrell light installation inside of the Grand Canyon.”

Brown worked with land artist Jim Denevan, who creates art with sand, using nature as a canvas to make vast pieces that can span hundreds of feet or sometimes even miles.

Brown said upon his request, Denevan replied: “Let’s make something huge.”

Next, they needed a location. After scouting around 20 locations, they partnered with the Navajo Nation to select a dry riverbed “with sand as pristine as a beach in the Caribbean,” Brown offered. The stretch of flat sand was in front of red rock formations taller than skyscrapers.

For the video and its adjoining campaign, ARIZONA and Brown selected one shape to be a recurring design motif: triangles. With the help of dozens of Navajo artists, hundreds of triangles cascading outward were then carved into the desert, with a sound stage in the center from which the band would perform.

“I wanted to make sure the community was behind us, as well as give them the opportunity to be involved,” said Brown. “It’s become one of the most emotionally resonant relationships I’ve had as a filmmaker. … I was truly moved by the experience.”

The 300-foot-wide creation was the second-biggest piece of land art in Arizona history, following James Turrell’s Roden Crater. The Navajo Nation fire department delivered water in a fire truck, which was needed to mold the sand into pyramids.

HANAHAN, S.C., Sept. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- UEC Advanced Electronics is excited to announce that we are standing up a Gen 3 6T Li-ion battery manufacturing line in Hanahan, SC. (Q4 2023) in support of the Army ground vehicle transition to hybrid vehicles.

UEC Advanced Electronics will be manufacturing Gen 36T Li-ion batteries in Hanahan, SC made in the USA in 2024.

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UEC is currently going through qualification testing to MIL-PRF-32565 and compliance testing to NAVY S9310 with third-party test facilities, forecasting completion in 2024.

UEC Gen3 6T Li-ion Battery advantages:

- NATO 6T Gen 3 Li- ion Battery 24 Volt- Nuclear hardened option- Capacity (typical) 135Ah- 4 times the energy of Lead Acid 6T batteries- 1,200 charging cycles and 5-year operational life- Smart BMS with self-charging- CAN Bus communications (SAE) 1939 + MIL-PRF-3265C)

Matt Bakker, President UEC. "Lithium-Ion battery technology is an exciting step forward for our UEC Advanced Electronics business in South Carolina. We look forward to contributing to electrification and 6T lead-acid replacement initiatives within the US defense community."

About UEC Advanced Electronics

UEC Advanced Electronics (https://uec-corp.com/) specializes in the design and manufacturing of reliable power systems (military and industrial) which include vehicle power systems, clean energy power systems, power distribution, mobile power management products and intelligent battery systems. In addition to design and development we are a full-service contract manufacturer of electronics, electromechanical assembly, intelligent battery systems and complex wire & cable assemblies.

For more information about UEC Advanced Electronics visit https://uec-corp.com/ or contact Jim Murray, jamesmurray@uec-electronics.com.

SOURCE United Electronics Company UEC

Hanahan High School’s next football coach has won better than 72 percent of his games in three Peach State stops as a head coach, including one state championship.

Milan Turner has certainly been around a lot of winning football going back nearly three decades.

Counting his time as an assistant coach in the mid-1990s, Turner has been on the sideline for six state championship games with five programs. Two of those won it all in Georgia, where he’s coached his whole career until now.

“We are elated to welcome Coach Turner to the Hawk family,” Hanahan High Principal Tom Gallus said. “Our community is very fortunate to have a coach of this caliber to lead and develop our student-athletes on and off the field. Coach Turner is a proven educator and leader. He knows what it takes to build a successful high school football program and to ensure that each student is prepared for their next steps after high school. I look forward to serving alongside Coach Turner and seeing our Hawks shine under the Friday night lights.”

Most recently, though, Turner was on the college level for one season, serving as the director of high school relations for the Georgia Southern football program.

Before Georgia Southern, where he earned his undergraduate and Master’s degrees, Turner compiled a 112-43 mark over 13 seasons as a head coach for three Georgia programs: Emanuel County (2005-10), Thomson (2011-13) and Veterans (2018-21). Turner’s teams won 65 games in six seasons at Emanuel, claiming the Class A crown in 2007 and finishing runner-up in 2008. He was 24-10 at Thomson and 23-21 at Veterans, both marks skewed heavily by one rough season.

In between Thomson and Veterans, Turner was on staff at Coffee High School for four seasons. Coffee was the Class 6A runner-up in 2017. He was also an assistant for the Class 4A state champion at Warner Robins in 2004 and played for state titles as an assistant at 2A Fitzgerald in 2000 and 2A Screven County in 1994.

Turner takes the reins from interim coach Steve Blanchard, who guided the Hawks for most of the season after Art Craig stepped away mid-season and eventually retired.

Last fall, Hanahan started off 6-1 and dropped three straight to finish 6-4 after a first-round playoff loss to Brookland-Cayce.

“First, I would like to thank Coach Clay Helton and Georgia Southern University for the incredible opportunity I had to serve this year on the football staff,” Coach Turner said in a statement released by HHS. “I want to also thank Principal Tom Gallus, Athletic Director Kim Joseph, the search committee, and the Berkeley County Board of Education for this incredible opportunity to be a teacher and head football coach at Hanahan High School. I am extremely excited for the future of our school and athletic program. I cannot wait to get to work with our team and to meet the Hanahan community.”

HANAHAN, S.C. —

Milan Turner has Carolina on his mind.

Turner, who was head coach at three different Georgia high schools, has been named the new head coach at Hanahan High School in South Carolina.

Turner had successful head coaching stints at Emanuel County Institute (2005-2010), Thomson (2011-2013) and Veterans (2018-2021). He served as the director of high school relations for the Georgia Southern football program in 2022.

Thank you to Coach Helton, Staff, Players, Administration and Eagle Nation for an exciting journey this year. Thank you for letting me be a small part of something Special! The future is bright at Georgia Southern, You ain’t seen nothin’ yet! #GATA #HailSouthern pic.twitter.com/yaTU5ZqoUv

— Milan Turner (@MilanTurner_GS) January 25, 2023

Turner compiled a 112-43 record over 13 seasons as a head coach in the Peach State. He would lead Emanuel County Institute to 65 wins and a state championship in 2007. The Bulldogs would finish GHSA Class A runner-up in 2008.

“We are elated to welcome Coach Turner to the Hawk family,” Hanahan High Principal Tom Gallus said. “Our community is very fortunate to have a coach of this caliber to lead and develop our student-athletes on and off the field. Coach Turner is a proven educator and leader. He knows what it takes to build a successful high school football program and to ensure that each student is prepared for their next steps after high school. I look forward to serving alongside Coach Turner and seeing our Hawks shine under the Friday night lights.”

Turner takes over a Hanahan program that went 6-4 in 2022. He replaces interim coach Steve Blanchard, who took over after Art Craig stepped away and eventually retired.

Turner has been an educator since 1994. Prior to becoming a head coach, he spent time as an assistant at several Georgia schools. Turner has coached in six GHSA state championship games during his time at five different Georgia high schools.

He has been named the North/South All-Star Head Coach, Region Coach of the Year, Atlanta Touchdown Club Class A Coach of the Year, GACA Class A State Coach of the Year, and was selected to coach in the 2008 Under Armour national all-star game.

Can’t thank you enough for what you mean to our football family coach! You were meant to be apart of kids lives! We will all be cheering for you in South Carolina! https://t.co/ttjDWBHhqO

— Clay Helton (@GSCoachHelton) January 25, 2023