Charleston Daily Seeking all the beauty that is Charleston, South Carolina

By Michael Easler

Rumpty Rattles is dead…

October 25, 1927

The day had been unseasonably warm, even for this late stretch of Fall.  Pushing into the mid 80’s, the heat settled into the city, turning every building into an oversized oven brick – a reminderthat October in Charleston is a fickle visitor.

It was 1:00 A.M. as Frank “Rumpty Rattles” Hogan, local “strong arm” and bootlegger made his way along Market St.  And though the coolness of the early morning hour was trying to take back the day, the lingering swelter must have emanated from every storefront and the very pavement beneath the soles of his shoes. Hogan did not notice.  He was in the grip of a different heat broiling under his collar.  A fever.  It was something personal.  Something dark and violent.  It was business. Tonight, someone was going to pay.  

Perhaps he paused in the glow of a streetlamp, scanning the landscape for movement, lighting a cigarette.  His big hands checking the pistol in his pocket.  A dozen yards ahead, his destination, the Peking Chop Suey restaurant where he will meet his girlfriend, Myrtle Carter, an 18-year-old waitress.  Their afterhours date will have no drinks and romantic conversation.  It will be cut short with gunfire and blood. Frank “RumptyRattles” Hogan is on a rendezvous with Charleston folklore and Eternity.  

The path that led him to his demise was not as straight and orderly as old Market St.  It was a twisted road of hard knuckles with the intersection of shadowy politics and the dangerous pecking order of the illegal liquor machine.   A world of flourish or perish.

Frank started life in Charleston’s 9^th Ward: north of Mary St., west of Nassau St, running through Amherst, Hanover, Boundary and King St. –  a tough, hardscrabble realm known as “Little Mexico.” It was a few blocks away from Charleston’s elite but closer to the stench of the city dump.  It was here he got the nickname “Rumpty Rattles.”  There’s no bedrock intel of its origin or meaning.  Maybe a crib endearment from his mother, maybe a sobriquet from the street.

Frank grew into a formidable figure.  Big, broad, square jawed.  Fearless.  There was a mystique building around him – a dangerous one.  Never backing down from a fight; perhaps also looking for one.  

He had a varied work history: stevedore, dock gang foreman, railroad worker. For recreation he enjoyed baseball and boxing. But as the Prohibition Era (1920-1933) turned into a turbulent, nationwide war between the “Drys” and the “Wets”… and “Uncle Sam”, Hogan was moving toward a new opportunity.  A place where his tough persona would be a perfect fit.  Bootleg whiskey was booming.

(A staggering volume of illegal hooch was brewed in Hell Hole Swamp in neighboring Berkeley County.  An inaccessible and inhospitable, 2,000-acre tangle, it was an ideal spot to avoid prying eyes and noses.  The complex of “giggle water” stills there was vast and profitable. The high-octane product out of Hell Hole became famous across the country.  General Francis Marion bedeviled the British within Hell Hole. Bootleggers gave the “revenuers” the same frustration.)

Somewhere along this thorny road, Frank Hogan fell in with Leon Dunlap, another local corn liquor wholesaler/supplier.  Their partnership was stormy and short-lived.  The rancor overthe fallout was so bitter the two hadn’t spoken in years.

Hogan kept his hand in bootlegging, running his own speakeasy, The Mexican Rest and Robbers Inn (it had other monikers: Bucket of Blood and Knock Down and Drag Out.)  It must have galled him to no end that with every drink he poured, Leon Dunlap’s dirty fingers were in his wallet.  To add insult to injury, Leon Dunlap’s right-hand man, David “Country Boy” Riggs was married to Frank’s daughter, Marie. (That must have been awkward at Thanksgiving…) 

“Rumpty Rattles” also maintained his ties to Little Mexico, keeping a small house at 16 Blake St.  And despite his reputation as a hard-nosed brawler, he had a soft spot for the old stomping grounds.  There was always bread and a big pot of soup on the stove for the bums and the hungry of Little Mexico.

Now enter John and Henry Brown. The Brown brothers were the money and brains behind a great wadge of Charleston’s illegal liquor trade.  On October 24^th, the Brown’s drove down from Awendaw to meet with their cadre of suppliers to deliver a business memorandum:  the cost of a gallon of booze was going up by 50 cents.  Since Leon Dunlap was a favored lieutenant, he and Riggs would accompany them on their rounds to break the news along the supply chain.  Frank Hogan’s house was one of their first stops.

Dunlap and Riggs warned their presence was a bad idea.  As a compromise, the Browns would do the talking, Dunlap and Riggs would wait in the back seat of the car.   

Predictably, the conference did not go well.  

Rumpty did a lot of rattling.  He blew a breaker over the price hike and right away saw Dunlap and Riggs.  Frank made it known he had a gun in his pocket then unleashed a string of profanity-laced threats that scorched the pavement of Blake St.  John Brown would later testify that Hogan used words he’d never heard before. 

The gauntlet was thrown down, the fuse was lit.

Fearing Hogan’s melt-down wasn’t dry thunder, Dunlap and Riggs went to a local sporting goods store; Dunlap bought a $55 pump shotgun and buckshot shells.  At evening, the two drove around town, purportedly looking for Hogan.  In the meantime, Frank caught wind of street talk that said Dunlap and Riggs wanted to meet – to shake hands and make peace.  There would be no treaties tonight.

Just after midnight, Leon Dunlap and David Riggs took their own stroll down Market St.  They knew about Myrtle Carter, they knew Rumpty Rattles would be meeting her.   At 141 Market St., across the street from Peking Chop Suey, was a derelict, two-story storefront. Dunlap and Riggs went upstairs, hid in the shadows and waited. 

At 1:05 A.M. Frank Hogan hit the entrance to the restaurant.  In his own court account, Leon Dunlap called out to him, “Mind Hogan, you got your gun?”  What happened next has been debated with only one documented retelling of a living eyewitness available – Leon Dunlap:

“I saw him and at the same time he saw me.  His gun came up and I shot him.”

The blast drove Frank Hogan through the doorway of 146 Market St., half in, half out.  What has never been questioned were Frank’s last words, “Oh Lord have mercy.”

Police foot patrolmen were at the scene in a blink.  Dunlap and Riggs were waiting for them.  Dunlap surrendered the shotgunand in various recounts offered to the effect, “I killed him and I’m glad I did.”

The murder trial was an intense sensation.  It seemed on the surface an obvious act of bad blood eliminating bad blood.  Dunlap and Riggs claimed self-defense.  There were weeks of heated accusations and testimony from an army of witnesses.  At 12:02 A.M., Christmas Eve morning, 1927 the verdict came down.  “Not Guilty.”

When interviewed post-verdict, Frank’s estranged widow and his daughter’s remarks were short. “He was bad.”

The marriage between David Riggs and Marie fell apart. “Country Boy” left town, slipping into obscurity.  Leon Dunlap found himself in and out of prison, dying in 1945.  Hogan and Dunlap are both buried at historic Magnolia Cemetery, a few yards from each other.

99 years, Rumpty – 99 bottles of illegal booze on the wall.  So, we raise a glass and toast to your coming out party.  Welcome to the Hidden City.

Research courtesy of:

* Shannon Duffy, Historic Charleston Foundation

* Thomas R. Waring, Jr., “Self Defense from Ambush”

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By Mark A Leon

Long before his name became inseparable from the story of baseball, Abner Doubleday stood inside Fort Sumter, looking across Charleston Harbor as a nation moved toward war.

Today, Doubleday is often remembered as the supposed “father of baseball.” But that story came much later—and historians have found no credible evidence that he invented the game.

His connection to Charleston, however, is very real.

And it began months before the first shots of the Civil War.

In 1860, Doubleday was a captain in the U.S. Army’s 1st Artillery and stationed at Fort Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island. Charleston was becoming increasingly tense as South Carolina moved toward secession. Doubleday later remembered a city where talk of secession was everywhere, military companies were drilling, and threats were being made against the federal forts.

Doubleday was not a passive observer.

He was a committed Union officer—and an outspoken opponent of slavery.

When South Carolina seceded in December 1860, Major Robert Anderson, commander of the federal forces in Charleston Harbor, made a decision that would change American history. On the night of December 26, 1860, Anderson moved his men from the vulnerable Fort Moultrie to the unfinished but strategically stronger Fort Sumter, positioned in the middle of Charleston Harbor.

Doubleday led the first detachment of soldiers across the dark harbor to the fort.

It was a small movement of men, but an enormous moment in history.

From Fort Sumter, the Union garrison watched Charleston grow increasingly hostile. Confederate forces surrounded the harbor, while the American flag continued to fly over the federal fort.

Then came January.

A ship called the Star of the West attempted to bring supplies and reinforcements to the garrison. South Carolina artillery fired upon it, forcing the vessel to turn away.

Doubleday was furious.

According to the National Park Service, he urged Anderson to respond to the firing and even advocated using the fort’s guns to close Charleston Harbor.

For Doubleday, this was no longer an abstract political crisis.

The Union flag was being challenged, and he believed it was his duty to defend it.

Then came April.

On April 12, 1861, Confederate artillery opened fire on Fort Sumter shortly after 4:30 in the morning. Charleston awakened to the thunder of cannon fire. The bombardment would continue for more than a day, and the nation would never be the same.

Inside the fort was Captain Abner Doubleday.

At approximately 7 a.m., the Union garrison began answering the Confederate batteries. Doubleday took his position at one of the fort’s guns and aimed toward the Confederate Iron Battery at Cummings Point on Morris Island.

He fired.

The 32-pound shot struck the Confederate position but bounced from the ironwork.

It was not the first shot of the Civil War—that distinction belongs to the Confederate bombardment—but it was the first shot fired from Fort Sumter in response. The National Park Service specifically identifies the gun position from which Doubleday fired.

For four hours, Doubleday commanded the guns.

At one point, Captain Truman Seymour relieved him.

“What is all this uproar about?” Seymour reportedly asked.

Doubleday answered with characteristic understatement:

“There is a trifling difference of opinion between us and our neighbors opposite, and we are trying to settle it.”

The “trifling difference” would become the bloodiest conflict in American history.

Fort Sumter surrendered on April 13. The Union garrison departed the next day, and the Civil War spread across the country.

Doubleday’s story did not end at Charleston.

He would go on to fight in some of the war’s most important battles, including Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam and Gettysburg. At Gettysburg, he played a major role in the Union defense during the first day of the battle.

But decades later, another story would begin to overshadow the one he actually lived.

Doubleday became associated with the claim that he invented baseball in Cooperstown, New York, in 1839.

The problem?

There is no reliable evidence that Doubleday invented baseball. The connection emerged from a later investigation and became part of American sporting mythology.

The irony is almost poetic.

The man remembered by millions as baseball’s supposed inventor was, in documented history, something far more consequential: a U.S. Army officer who was in Charleston when the nation fractured, who helped move the Union garrison into Fort Sumter, who witnessed the crisis unfold from inside the fort, and who fired the first Union shot in response when the Civil War began.

Before baseball, there was Charleston.

Before Cooperstown, there was Fort Moultrie.

Before the legend, there was a soldier standing behind a cannon in Charleston Harbor, watching the United States come apart.

And that is perhaps the more remarkable story of Abner Doubleday.

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By Mark A. Leon

A stronger, healthier Lowcountry starts with strong community partners — and the Lowcountry Food Bank is working to make sure those partners have the tools they need to make an even greater impact.

Through its Wellness Pantry program, the Lowcountry Food Bank is helping community food pantries go beyond providing food. The initiative gives partner agencies resources, training and support designed to promote healthier choices and strengthen the overall experience for neighbors seeking assistance.

In 2026, 26 Lowcountry Food Bank partner agencies earned the organization’s updated Wellness Pantry designation, recognizing their commitment to creating food pantry environments that support both immediate needs and long-term community well-being.

The program is built around four key areas: Food for Today, Neighbor Focus, Community Empowerment and Organizational Excellence.

Together, those principles recognize that food insecurity is about more than putting food on a table. Community pantries can also play an important role in helping neighbors access nutritious foods, connect with resources and build healthier lives.

The Lowcountry Food Bank’s Nutrition Team works directly with partner agencies to help make that possible. Support includes pantry coaching and training, resource materials and on-site programming designed to strengthen the services each pantry provides.

The goal is multiplication: By strengthening the organizations already serving neighborhoods across coastal South Carolina, the Food Bank can extend its reach and help more families and individuals access nutritious food and wellness resources.

The Wellness Pantry designation also recognizes the work happening behind the scenes at these organizations. From how food is selected and presented to how neighbors are welcomed and connected with additional resources, participating agencies are demonstrating a commitment to creating more supportive and wellness-focused pantry environments.

For communities throughout the Lowcountry, that work can have a meaningful ripple effect.

Food pantries are often among the most accessible community resources for families facing difficult circumstances. By equipping these organizations with nutrition education, practical tools and best practices, the Lowcountry Food Bank is helping its partners address immediate food needs while also encouraging healthier choices.

The 26 agencies recognized this year represent what can happen when community organizations work together toward a shared goal: ensuring that neighbors have access to food today while building stronger, healthier communities for tomorrow.

The effort reflects a broader philosophy at the Lowcountry Food Bank — that solving food insecurity requires collaboration. Food banks, food pantries, nonprofits, volunteers and community members each have a role to play in creating a more nourished Lowcountry.

And the Wellness Pantry program is one way that collaboration is becoming action.

For residents interested in learning more about the program, the Lowcountry Food Bank provides information and resources explaining what it means to be a Wellness Pantry and how the program supports partner agencies.

As coastal South Carolina continues to grow, the need for strong community resources remains critical. Through programs like Wellness Pantry, the Lowcountry Food Bank is helping ensure those resources are not only available, but equipped to make a lasting difference.

Learn more about the Lowcountry Food Bank’s Wellness Pantry resources: Lowcountry Food Bank Wellness Pantry Resources

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By Mark A. Leon

Charleston has always been a city built around preservation. Now, a new medical spa on King Street is taking that idea in a different direction — applying it to the way people approach aging, skincare and aesthetics.

The Society of Preservation Med Spa officially debuted in August at 263 King Street, Suite C, bringing an upscale, provider-led approach to medical aesthetics to downtown Charleston. The concept is straightforward: enhance what is already there rather than dramatically change it.

The Society describes its philosophy as “preserved, never altered,” with treatments designed to help clients look refreshed rather than visibly treated. The practice says each plan is built around a patient’s anatomy, lifestyle and long-term goals, rather than simply selecting procedures from a menu.

That philosophy is reflected throughout the business, which combines medical aesthetics with a boutique, hospitality-focused experience.

From Botox to lasers and “glass skin”

The treatment menu covers four primary areas: injectables, facials and skincare, laser and light treatments, and medical skin health.

For injectables, The Society offers Botox, Dysport and Daxxify, along with dermal fillers and biostimulators. The practice emphasizes facial balance and proportion, describing its approach to filler as one focused on refinement rather than adding volume simply for the sake of volume.

The skincare side is equally extensive. Services include the Society Signature Facial, GLACE Glass Skin Facial, GLO2 Preservation Facial, microneedling, dermaplaning and chemical peels.

Laser and light treatments include MOXI laser resurfacing, Lumecca Peak IPL, DiolazeXL laser hair removal, Geneo RF skin tightening and Celluma LED therapy.

The Society also specifically addresses some of the skin concerns that are particularly relevant in the Lowcountry, including melasma, rosacea, redness, acne, sun damage and pigmentation. The practice notes that Charleston’s humidity, salt air and substantial year-round sun exposure can create unique challenges for local skin.

A more personalized approach

The Society’s provider team includes Casey Bourque, NP, lead aesthetic provider, and Olivia Mascitti, NP, with founder Kim Drake leading the business. The practice says consultations begin with a facial assessment and discussion of goals, medical history, anatomy and treatment options before any injectable treatment is performed.

That provider-led model is an important part of the brand. The goal isn’t to convince every client to have a procedure, but to create a longer-term aesthetic plan.

For clients who want to make aesthetics part of their regular routine, The Society has also introduced The Society Circle, a membership program offering a monthly signature treatment, priority booking and member benefits. Founding memberships are priced at $369 per month, while the standard Society Circle is $489 per month, with a six-month commitment.

There is also The Reserve, a membership concept specifically designed for men, and The Society Social Club, which offers student pricing for students at the College of Charleston, MUSC and The Citadel.

More than a med spa

The King Street location is designed to feel more like a private club or gallery than a traditional clinical office. The practice features rotating exhibitions of work by local female artists, with artwork available for purchase. The Society also selects a product each month whose proceeds benefit a Lowcountry 501(c)(3) organization.

That emphasis on Charleston extends to the business’s own skincare offerings. Among them is Throwing Shade, a signature Lowcountry sunscreen created with an outdoor-oriented Charleston lifestyle in mind.

For those wanting to check it out, The Society of Preservation Med Spa is located on the third floor at 263 King Street. Hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The practice also validates 90 minutes of parking at the 69 Wentworth Street garage.

In a city where preservation is part of the identity, The Society of Preservation is betting that the same philosophy can apply to beauty: don’t change what makes you unique — preserve it, refine it and let it age well.

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By Mark A. Leon | Charleston Daily

More than $6 trillion in federal spending flowed across the United States during the past 18 months, but a new study shows that those dollars are anything but evenly distributed.

A new analysis from SmartAsset examined federal spending from January 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, across more than 3,100 counties and county equivalents. The study found that some communities received hundreds of billions of dollars in federal obligations, while others received comparatively little.

And South Carolina — particularly Columbia — stands out.

SmartAsset found that Richland County, home to Columbia, received approximately $122.2 billion in federal spending during the 18-month period, the highest total of any county in South Carolina. On a per-capita basis, Richland County also ranked first in the state, at approximately $281,025 per resident.

That puts Columbia in some impressive company nationally.

The biggest recipients

At the top of SmartAsset’s national list is Hennepin County, Minnesota, which includes Minneapolis. The county received approximately $286.1 billion in federal obligations during the study period — roughly 4.7% of the nearly $6 trillion tracked by SmartAsset.

Marion County, Indiana, home to Indianapolis, followed with approximately $217.8 billion, while Jefferson County, Kentucky, which includes Louisville, received approximately $196.9 billion.

Other communities posting extraordinarily large totals included:

• Cumberland County, Pennsylvania: $162.3 billion
• Cass County, North Dakota: $138.5 billion
• Richland County, South Carolina: $122.2 billion
• Los Angeles County, California: $118.9 billion
• Dane County, Wisconsin: $82.7 billion
• Hillsborough County, Florida: $77.6 billion
• Maricopa County, Arizona: $84.1 billion

The numbers demonstrate that federal spending is not simply concentrated in Washington or the nation’s largest coastal cities. Health care, defense, infrastructure, research, government contracts and other federally funded activities can make smaller or mid-sized communities major beneficiaries of federal dollars.

Columbia’s surprising position

For South Carolina, the Columbia area is the clear standout.

Richland County’s $122.2 billion in federal spending is more than five times the amount recorded by many other major South Carolina counties. The county’s position is tied to the region’s role as a major center for government, health care, infrastructure and other federally supported activity.

Charleston, Greenville and the state’s other major population centers do not approach Richland County’s total in the SmartAsset data.

That distinction is important because the study is measuring where federally funded activity takes place, not necessarily where the federal government sends money directly to local governments. SmartAsset’s methodology includes contracts, procurement, grants, direct payments and other forms of financial assistance. Federal employee payroll is excluded.

What about Charlotte?

Just across the state line, the Charlotte area presents an interesting contrast.

Mecklenburg County, home to Charlotte, recorded the lowest federal spending per capita among North Carolina counties, at approximately $6,930 per resident.

Meanwhile, Wake County, home to Raleigh, had the state’s largest total at approximately $16.1 billion.

That creates a notable divide between North Carolina’s two largest economic centers. Charlotte’s economy is heavily driven by banking, finance, corporate headquarters and private-sector activity, while Raleigh and Wake County benefit from a larger concentration of government, research and other federally connected activity.

The per-person numbers tell another story

Total spending is only part of the story.

Some of the most eye-catching numbers appear when federal spending is divided by population.

Brewster County, Texas, recorded approximately $700,181 per resident, the highest per-capita figure in the country. SmartAsset attributes much of that spending to border security and related infrastructure.

Cass County, North Dakota, home to Fargo, ranked near the top at approximately $686,338 per resident.

Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, recorded approximately $585,185 per resident, while Los Alamos County, New Mexico, reached nearly $488,000 per resident.

Those figures do not mean individual residents received that amount of money. Rather, they reflect the amount of federal funding committed to activity occurring within the county.

Why it matters

The SmartAsset study offers an unusual look at the economic footprint of the federal government.

A federal contract for infrastructure, a major health care payment, a defense project or a research grant can dramatically change the amount of federal money attributed to a community. In some places, that spending can represent a significant piece of the local economy.

For South Carolina, the standout is Columbia.

For North Carolina, Raleigh’s Wake County leads the state in total federal spending, while Charlotte’s Mecklenburg County sits at the bottom on a per-capita basis.

And nationally, the lesson is clear: the federal government’s economic reach extends far beyond Washington, D.C.From Minneapolis and Indianapolis to Columbia and Fargo, federal dollars are helping shape the economies of communities across the country.

As federal budget priorities continue to evolve, where those dollars go — and which communities depend on them — could become an increasingly important economic story.

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FOLLY BEACH, S.C. — Mermaids, mateys, and sea-loving adventurers are invited to gather their crew for the Mermaids & Mateys Festival on Saturday, October 3, 2026, from 10am-4pm. This year, the event will have FREE Admission as a welcome back to Center Street after the recent construction. Center Street will transform into a seaside celebration with live music, 80+ local art, craft, and fashion vendors, costume contests, a dunk tank, and plenty of family fun.

Guests are encouraged to dress as a mermaid, matey, or their favorite under-the-sea character for a chance to take home prizes in the family and adult costume contests. The Under the Sea Kids Area, presented by Good Clean Fun, will feature mermaids, sand crafts, stilt walkers, free inflatables, games, jumping fun, and more. Additional live music lineup details will be announced soon. Mermaids & Mateys will once again partner with the Alzheimer’s Association – South Carolina Chapter for Paint Folly Purple, encouraging attendees to wear purple and help raise money for this special local charity.

Registration is FREE but required and does not guarantee entry. Admission is first-come, first-served up to capacity. A BIG thank you to our sponsors, The Best Rentals, Dunes Properties, and Tito’s. Tickets, sign-ups, and sponsorship information are all available on VisitFolly.com.

Gather your crew, dust off your mermaid tail or pirate gear, and get ready to celebrate the sea in true Folly fashion!

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By Mark A Leon

August 29, 1952 — April 16, 2026

Today would have been Don Schlitz’s 74th birthday.

Born on August 29, 1952, in Durham, North Carolina, Schlitz grew up to become one of the most accomplished songwriters in the history of country music—a man whose words found their way into the voices of Kenny Rogers, Randy Travis, The Judds, Keith Whitley, Alison Krauss, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Tanya Tucker, Reba McEntire, George Strait and countless others.

Schlitz died in Nashville on April 16, 2026, at the age of 73, following a sudden illness. But his songs had already given him the kind of immortality that only great songwriting can provide.

And it all began in North Carolina.

Growing up in Durham, Schlitz absorbed music from everywhere. He later recalled hearing Motown, Johnny Cash, Roger Miller, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan on the radio. He also developed an early fascination with words, reading and song structure. As a child, he studied hymnals for their rhythms and rhyme patterns and became fascinated with language.

At 20, Schlitz left North Carolina for Nashville, arriving with little more than ambition. He worked nights as a computer operator at Vanderbilt University while spending his days trying to get his songs heard. For years, the doors of Music Row remained stubbornly closed.

Then came “The Gambler.”

Kenny Rogers recorded Schlitz’s song in 1978, and suddenly the struggling songwriter had written one of the defining songs of modern country music. The song became a No. 1 hit, won the Grammy for Best Country Song and the CMA Song of the Year, and ultimately became part of the Library of Congress National Recording Registry.

But “The Gambler” was not the end of Schlitz’s story. It was the beginning.

His songwriting catalog reads almost like a history of country music itself.

With Paul Overstreet, he co-wrote Randy Travis classics including “Forever and Ever, Amen,” “On the Other Hand,” “Deeper Than the Holler” and “Heroes and Friends.” “Forever and Ever, Amen” became another Grammy-winning landmark.

Then there was “When You Say Nothing at All,” first made famous by Keith Whitley and later recorded by Alison Krauss, becoming one of the most enduring love songs of the modern country era.

Schlitz also helped give Mary Chapin Carpenter some of her signature songs, including “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her,” “I Feel Lucky” and “I Take My Chances.” He wrote hits for The Judds, including “Rockin’ With the Rhythm of the Rain,” “I Know Where I’m Going” and “Turn It Loose.” His catalog also includes songs recorded by Alabama, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, George Strait, Tanya Tucker, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Michael Johnson and others.

The numbers are remarkable: Schlitz amassed more than 50 Top 10 country hits, including 24 No. 1 songs. He won two Grammy Awards, three CMA Song of the Year awards and two Academy of Country Music Song of the Year awards. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame and, in 2017, the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Yet perhaps the best measure of Don Schlitz’s legacy isn’t a trophy, a chart position or even a Hall of Fame.

It’s recognition.

You hear the opening of “The Gambler” and know the story.

You hear “Forever and Ever, Amen” and think of lasting love.

You hear “When You Say Nothing at All” and remember that sometimes the deepest feelings don’t require many words.

And somewhere in all of those songs is the voice of a boy from Durham who grew up listening to the world through a transistor radio and eventually learned how to turn what he heard—and what he felt—into songs that millions of people could call their own.

Don Schlitz once described all those musical influences as filling the “jukebox” in his head.

On his birthday, the jukebox is still playing.

And for a songwriter, there may be no better legacy than that.

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Charleston, SC – Charleston-based artist Chris Frick will present her newest body of work for the first time during a private, invitation-only showcase on Folly Beach. The event will take place at Villa Hemingway on Saturday, September 26, 2026, offering guests a first look at the complete new collection.

Frick’s work begins with a simple question: How does a place slowly become part of who we are? Since moving from Germany to Charleston, her work has become increasingly focused on the South Carolina coast and on the subtle ways our surroundings influence us over time.

The new collection brings together two closely connected bodies of work: Lowcountry and Place & Figure.

In the Lowcountry paintings, Frick draws from the heat, water, marshes, coastal light, barrier islands, and everyday impressions of life around Charleston. Rather than depicting the landscape literally, she works from what stays with her after spending time there. Recognizable elements may appear, but they are often reduced, fragmented, or absorbed into fields of color, texture, and expressive marks.

In Place & Figure, the human figure enters that same visual world. Figures appear within abstracted spaces, exploring the relationship between a person and the surroundings they inhabit. The distinction between figure and place is sometimes clear and sometimes deliberately uncertain, reflecting the way an environment can gradually become part of our sense of self.

Across both bodies of work, Frick moves between abstraction and recognizable form. Her paintings are built through layers of acrylic, texture, color, and marks, allowing traces of the South Carolina coast to remain without becoming traditional landscapes. “I don’t paint the landscape itself; I paint what stays with me after spending time there,” Frick says.

Together, Lowcountry and Place & Figure turn attention back toward the places we live and, through those places, toward ourselves.

The complete new body of work will remain largely unrevealed until the September showcase. For more information about Chris Frick and her work, visit chrisfrick.art or follow her on Instagram at @chrisfrickart.

About Chris Frick

Chris Frick is a German-born, Charleston-based artist working primarily in acrylic. She is represented by Simpatico Gallery in Charleston and by Mary Praytor Gallery in Greenville, and she maintains a studio on Broad Street in downtown Charleston.

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Experience the tastes and traditions of Charleston’s Latin American community

Charleston County Parks invites you to immerse yourself in the authentic music, dance and food of Latin America and the Caribbean at this year’s Latin American Festival, Sunday, Oct. 4 at Wannamaker County Park, from 12 – 5 p.m.!

This annual festival brings people together to celebrate Charleston’s vibrant Latin cultures through non-stop merengue, reggaeton, bachata and salsa music; folkloric artwork and crafts; dance performances; and authentic foods. A variety of vendors will be on site selling Latin and Caribbean foods and desserts, from flavorful empanadas to tasty arroz con pollo. Food, beverages and souvenirs will be available for purchase for an additional fee.

Gates to the event open at 12 p.m., and the entertainment schedule is:

1 – 1:40 p.m.: Rumbao Latin Dance Group 

1:45 – 2:45 p.m.: Julio & Rafa 

2:45 – 3:15 p.m.: Salsa Contest with DJ Luigi 

3:30 – 5 p.m.: Orquesta Bravo 

Admission to the Latin American Festival is $15 per vehicle in advance (up to 15 people per vehicle) or $25 per vehicle at the event gate. Gold Pass holders are admitted free. No outside food, alcohol or coolers permitted. Pets are not allowed at this event. Accessible parking and accessible restrooms will be available at this event. An accessibility tent with Kulture City sensory bags for checkout will be available.

About the Entertainment Lineup

·     Kicking off at 1 p.m. will be a performance byRumbao Latin Dance, a Charlotte-based dance group founded in 2013. The group performs salsa dance as well as Cha-Cha, Merengue, Bachata and Brazilian Samba.

·     Venezuelan Latin music duo Julio & Rafa  will perform at 1:45 p.m. Julio & Rafa are based out of Charlotte and known for performing at large events and festivals throughout the Carolinas and beyond. 

·     Energetic, full-live instrument salsa band Orquesta Bravo will perform at 3:30 p.m.Also based out of Charlotte, the multi-national band is directed by Joe Bravo and features four trombones, three percussionists, four vocalists, piano and bass.

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By Mark A Leon

There’s something fitting about a South Carolina-born brand finally planting its flag on Charleston’s most iconic shopping street.

Palmetto Moon is coming downtown to 360 King Street, marking the brand’s first-ever downtown Charleston location. The new store is scheduled to open Saturday, November 7, 2026. 

For Palmetto Moon, the move feels a little like coming home. Founded in South Carolina, the retailer has built its identity around the relaxed, distinctly Southern lifestyle—casual clothing, gifts, accessories, collegiate gear and the kind of Charleston-inspired merchandise visitors often want to take a little piece of the Lowcountry home with them.

And now, that Southern spirit is headed straight to King Street.

The illustrated rendering of the new storefront captures the idea beautifully: a classic Charleston commercial building, palm trees out front and “Palmetto Moon” above the doors. It feels less like a new arrival and more like a brand that has finally found its way to the neighborhood where it belongs.

The location should also put Palmetto Moon squarely in the middle of Charleston’s enormous mix of residents, shoppers and visitors. King Street remains one of the city’s defining retail corridors, and the addition gives tourists another place to find South Carolina-themed apparel and gifts while giving locals a new downtown stop for the brand’s familiar Southern lifestyle offerings.

Palmetto Moon has already begun hiring for the King Street location, including a store sales manager and sales team positions. 

Charleston-born. King Street bound. And just in time for the holiday shopping season.

Palmetto Moon — 360 King Street — opening November 7, 2026. 

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