Plumbers in Charleston, SC

CHARLESTON — City officials want to take "complete control" over developing the remaining 18 acres of the WestEdge project near the Ashley River to increase housing stock on the peninsula, according to new details from Mayor William Cogswell.

The project has been paused amid legal challenges to filling what is left of the tidal creek that once flowed on Charleston's West Side.

With the Medical University of South Carolina shifting its expansion efforts along Calhoun Street, Cogswell proposes buying out the Medical University Foundation's share of the WestEdge project for around $25 million.

The sum is about $10 million less than the foundation's roughly 35 percent stake is worth, Cogswell told City Council's Community Development committee on May 15. The committee approved continuing negotiations, which will ultimately have to be approved by City Council as well as MUSC's board.

The health system's trustees met May 16 but were not expected to take up WestEdge, according to spokeswoman Faith Arenth.

No specific design has been presented, but Cogswell said the plan is to put "significant amounts of housing" on the remaining 18 acres of land.

He didn't say what would happen to Gadsden Creek, the once vibrant wetland that help protect the predominately Black neighborhood from the influx of tidal waters and storm surges that frequently flow across Hagood Avenue and into the Charleston Housing Authority's Gadsden Green community.

"So we would fill the creek?" asked Councilwoman Caroline Parker.

"That's to be determined," Cogswell said. "But we have the right to do it."

That right was upheld by an October decision from the S.C. Supreme Court.

The WestEdge Foundation, a nonprofit established through the partnership between the city and the Medical University Foundation, holds a permit from the former S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control granting permission to fill the channel and permanently cap a leaking landfill that lies beneath the already developed portions of the project and neighboring Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park, home to the Charleston RiverDogs minor league baseball team.

Friends of Gadsden Creek, an advocacy group, challenged the permit arguing broader ecological and environmental justice issues. Its defenders were ultimately unsuccessful, but that does not necessarily mean the waterway is doomed to bulldozers.

What's left of the creek amounts to about two of 18 acres, which leaves "plenty of property to build on," Cogswell told the committee.

"There are other alternatives," the mayor said of filling the creek, though he didn't provide further details. "It depends on how the development evolves."

The Friends group drafted a proposal to revitalize the creek and Gadsden Green, whose residents helped write the plan. Another creek revitalization plan has been proposed by Joshua Robinson, civil engineer and owner of Robinson Design Engineers.

"These documents offer visionary, viable alternatives to creek infill — alternatives that preserve green space, promote flood resilience, and deliver housing in a way that uplifts the community rather than displaces it," the advocacy group said in an emailed statement. "The Friends of Gadsden Creek appreciate Mayor Cogswell’s announcement and the City’s effort to take more direct control over the WestEdge project. We remain hopeful that this new chapter will include a housing plan that honors both the ecological importance of Gadsden Creek and the deep cultural ties that the surrounding community has to this land."

The WestEdge Foundation has about $10 million cash on hand, which its board has approved to pay MUSC. The remaining $15 million could come from an existing tax increment financing (TIF) district that was created to fund public infrastructure on the site.

When that special tax district was created in 2008, the properties within the district were assessed at less than $8 million. By the end of 2023, the assessed value of those properties has risen to over $43 million — a more than 400 percent increase.

The first phase of development included several office buildings, ground floor retail and restaurants, more than 250 apartments and a Publix supermarket.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - A Charleston native chef celebrates the grand opening of her first restaurant at the Charleston International Airport.

This new restaurant, “Kardea Brown’s Southern Kitchen,” opened to travelers on April 21 and is a collaboration with celebrity chef Kardea Brown.

Being of Gullah Geechee descent, Brown’s restaurant brings rich flavors to her Gullah cuisine for all travelers at the airport, such as shrimp & grits, mac & cheese, fried “Fush” plate and a cheesy crab dip.

Brown is the host of Food Network’s Delicious Miss Brown, co-host of Kids Baking Championship, a NY Times best-selling author for her first cookbook and the author of her second cookbook, which will be released in November.

She discusses why she decided to open her restaurant in her hometown.

“Charleston is my home, and I am so proud to bring a piece of it to the airport. “This restaurant is a celebration of the flavors and traditions that make Charleston so special. I can’t wait for travelers to experience the warmth and hospitality of the Lowcountry through our food,” she said.

Robert Thormeier, Chief Operating Officer for Delaware North Travel, who partnered with Brown, said they are excited to include her cultural heritage and flavors in the Lowcountry.

“We are incredibly excited to launch the first Kardea Brown restaurant in her hometown of Charleston, South Carolina. Kardea Brown’s Southern Kitchen showcases her rich cultural heritage and highlights the beauty and charm of the Lowcountry, including her delicious takes on Gullah cuisine,” he said.

Her design shows bold colors and distinctive cultural pieces that reflect not only her restaurant, but also her culture. Her display shows her grandmother’s handheld mixer from the 1970s, which played a key role in her passion for cooking.

“We are thrilled to welcome Kardea Brown’s Southern Kitchen to Charleston International Airport,” said Elliott Summey, executive director and CEO of Charleston International Airport. “Kardea’s deep roots in Gullah culinary traditions and national presence on the Food Network make her the perfect ambassador for Lowcountry cuisine. This restaurant offers travelers an authentic taste of Charleston’s rich cultural heritage in the terminal. As we continue to grow and enhance the passenger experience, it’s vital that we showcase what makes our region special and nothing does that better than our food.”

The restaurant is located in the airport’s Central Hall, which was originally occupied by Jack Nicklaus Golden Bear Grill.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The devastating and deadly impacts from Hurricane Helene last year proved hurricanes are statewide events in South Carolina, not just on the coast.

With the next hurricane season just days away, Gov. Henry McMaster headed to North Charleston on Thursday to share the latest on preparations and what South Carolinians need to do now to be ready.

State leaders said they have been preparing since last winter for this hurricane season.

Now they say it’s time for all South Carolinians to get ready.

“Don’t wait for the warning,” Rob Perry, deputy secretary for engineering with the South Carolina Department of Transportation, said. “Don’t wait for the press conferences. Do it now — that way you’re prepared.”

The director of the state’s Emergency Management Division, Kim Stenson, said South Carolinians should take three important steps: prepare their homes; know their evacuation zone, if they live in one; and remember their route to evacuate.

“We always hope to never be faced with an evacuation, but in the event an evacuation is ordered, our goal is to ensure there’s a safe movement of traffic and distribution near evacuation routes,” Lt. Col. Travis Manley, the South Carolina Highway Patrol’s deputy commander of operations, said.

SCEMD also reminds the many South Carolinians who live in low-lying areas to take that into consideration during their planning by preparing for potential flooding.

While South Carolina leaders emphasize annually that the impacts of hurricanes can and will be felt across the state, that reality was unscored last year with Helene, the deadliest storm in state history.

Stenson said Helene’s impacts in the Upstate and on the western part of the state as a whole, further away from the coast, did not change South Carolina’s hurricane preparations this year or its response plans.

“You can easily have hurricane-force winds all the way up to our northern border with North Carolina,” Stenson said. “So it really hasn’t changed anything. It’s just opened up a few eyes because we’ve not had that here in South Carolina for a number of years.”

Stenson and McMaster said they believe the state’s plans held up well then and feel confident in them headed into this season, if South Carolinians take them just as seriously.

“If a hurricane slams right into us, then it will qualify as a disaster, more than likely,” McMaster said. “But a disaster does not have to have a loss of life, with preparation and understanding of what’s happening.”

The state’s preparations will continue into next month, including the annual lane reversal drill on June 4.

South Carolina Highway Patrol said traffic will not be impacted, but they ask drivers to be aware of law enforcement who will be along the roads, preparing to keep people safe in emergencies.

SCEMD encourages South Carolinians to pick up one of its 2025 hurricane guides, which are available around the state and accessible online.

The guide is full of vital information like what to do if power goes out, how to file an insurance claim, what to do with pets, and maps out all the state’s evacuation zones.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.

JOHNS ISLAND — A 30-foot sailboat bobs in a narrow channel cut through the spartina marsh grass along New Cut Creek.

Wind hasn't filled its blue sails since at least August, according to neighbors who nervously watched the vessel drift until Helene's tropical storm-force gusts lodged it in the marsh.

The falling tide reveals an old engine block meant to anchor it in place.

Paw prints muddy the side of the fiberglass hull. A raccoon has taken shelter inside.

The boat, named Rebellion, is owned by state Sen. Matt Leber, R-Johns Island, and is one of over 100 littering South Carolina's waterways.

Not only are these vessels an eyesore, but they can pose environmental and navigational risks. State lawmakers, including Leber, tried to address these concerns with a pair of bills that toughened penalties for those who desert boats and imposed a tax to pay for their removal.

"It's among dozens and dozens in Charleston County, except here, we got an elected state senator that ought to be living by the book," said Shay Stoney, one of several frustrated neighbors who lives across from the derelict Rebellion.

The $3 fee that would have been levied on all South Carolina boat owners failed to reach the House floor for a vote before the session ended. However, a bill that shortened the window for claiming a possibly abandoned vessel and doubled the maximum penalty for dumping a boat made it to the desk of Gov. Henry McMaster, who signed it into law effective May 8.

"How can you vote for it when you're in violation of it?" Stoney asked.

"I voted in favor of being responsible for our boats," Leber told The Post and Courier on May 19. "I'm trying to do that, and we’re going to do that."

Leber said he's hiring a boat towing company to remove Rebellion. TowboatU.S. Capt. Greg Giggi confirmed he was preparing a cost estimate for Leber.

"I don't want the boat torn up," said Leber, reflecting on the decade of memories made on the sailboat. "I've been in session, so it's been a very complicated time, busy. But I think we have the plan together, and then we're going to get it seaworthy again."

Though Rebellion has sat for months in the marsh, with its hatch open to the elements, the S.C. Department of Natural Resources officials don't consider the sailboat abandoned because they already identified Leber as its owner. While neighbors say the senator has made little effort to move it since August, Leber said he has tried to four or five times.

As the state agency awaits guidance on how to enforce the new law, boats like Rebellion continue to mar the coastline.

Neighbors complain for months

For weeks, Rebellion floated in the channel that connects the Wadmalaw and Stono rivers, before neighbors grew impatient and started reaching out to Leber directly.

Leber had been storing the boat at one of the docks lining the creek. An issue with the dock’s owner arose, and the boat was anchored with an old engine block in the middle of the channel.

Angela Shelton said the vessel was hard to see, especially at night.

“No lights, no battery, no nothing,” her husband, Jimmy Dewberry added.

It was August and another hurricane season was underway.

"We've got kids running through here; it's summertime; storms coming," Dewberry recalled telling Leber. "All of the reasons that we could give him to come and get his boat."

"It was always the same thing and just no action," he said.

Dewberry recalled Leber coming by once last summer, circling Rebellion in a pleasure craft wrapped in an advertisement for "Booze Pops," before leaving after about an hour of tinkering. The Post and Courier confirmed a boat matching that description is one of two sitting in Leber's front yard.

Neighbors described one other attempt when Leber, apparently in a borrowed boat, towed the vessel about 150 yards up the channel, where he left it, promising to come back the following weekend.

"I don't go knock on a neighbor's door and let them know what I'm doing," said Leber, who lives about six miles up the Stono River from where Rebellion is stuck in pluff mud. "Maybe they've seen me, maybe they haven't."

On Aug. 12, Leber texted Terry Heinz, one of the neighbors living on New Cut Creek: "moving it as soon as I can."

Four days later, Leber wrote back that he had a "strong lead" on a pier where he could dock the sailboat. But he went on to say that another of his boats was having electrical issues he needed to resolve before it could be used to move the larger watercraft.

Another time, Leber referenced a failed drain plug that kept him from coming, according to text messages both Heinz and Dewberry provided to The Post and Courier.

A month passed and Heinz followed up.

"We're all wondering whatever happened to your plan," Heinz texted on Sept. 21. "I'm sure you're busy with your re-election approaching, but we’re still counting on your word."

Leber again assured Heinz he would "be moving it."

On Sept. 27, Heinz wrote Leber: "it looks like Helene is moving your boat for you."

Attached were a series of pictures of turbulent water jostling the vessel closer to their neighborhood docks.

Shelton said the tropical storm-force winds brought Rebellion within 100 yards of their property.

An hour and a half later, Heinz sent Leber another photo that showed the vessel across the channel in the marsh, where it remains.

Leber said he would come that afternoon. But later he said the father of the "young guy" he had enlisted for help vetoed their trip due to the storm's ongoing effects.

The following day, Heinz told Leber the Rebellion is "so far into the marsh that, even at high tide, it will probably take a commercial salvage operation.

"Barring another hurricane, I don’t think it will be moving at all," Heinz continued.

Leber told reporters May 19 that insurance didn't cover the cost of recovering the boat, which delayed matters.

"I've had other companies go out, make attempts, but I think I've got the right plan now," Leber said referring to his contacting TowboatU.S.

Leber, who had been serving as a state representative, in November was elected to the state senate. Three days later, Heinz texted Leber to congratulate him on his victory.

"Now that the election is over, we are hoping that you will put your attention on your boat, Rebellion, and make good on your promise to remove it from the creek," Heinz wrote. "We urge you to take responsibility for your derelict boat and do the right thing in removing it."

On Nov. 18, Leber said: "I'm not going into January session with this over my head."

SCDNR doesn't consider Rebellion abandoned

On Jan. 17, three days into the legislative session, DNR agents tagged Rebellion as abandoned, photos provided to the newspaper show. The boat was also recorded in the Department of Environmental Services' reporting tool for abandoned boats.

Maj. Michael Paul Thomas oversees DNR marine investigations, including abandoned watercraft. He said the state agency has a backlog of over 100 abandoned and derelict boats in South Carolina waters.

Thomas said in the eyes of the state, Rebellion isn't technically abandoned because Leber affirmed his ownership of the boat after it was tagged. DNR has not issued any fines or penalties to Leber, either.

Several miles down the Wadmalaw River, another derelict vessel, a 120-foot decommissioned Navy ship, sticks out of the idyllic creek.

Residents of Rockville, a tiny community on the bank of Bohicket Creek, have spent years calling on DNR and the Coast Guard to remove the hulking torpedo retriever. Last September, the Coast Guard removed from the ship roughly 3,500 gallons of oil and oily water that neighbors were concerned might seep out.

But DNR doesn't consider the rusted and barnacled HAZAR to be abandoned either, agents told The Post and Courier in March. The agency identified the owner, who is in regular contact with officials discussing plans to remove HAZAR or relinquish its title to the state.

If the agency is made aware of a possibly abandoned boat, the department places an orange tag with a date on the vessel. Before May 8, a 45-day countdown would begin for DNR agents to contact the last known owner. If no one responded within that window, the boat was considered abandoned.

Thomas said Leber made attempts to remove Rebellion, though the agency doesn't keep track of when or what these efforts were.

"We don't really keep a record of that, you know. We are trusting that that's happened," Thomas said. "We don't want to touch anybody's boat that they have the intention to move themselves. We're not in the moving business. We just deem them abandoned."

But that was before the governor signed into law harsher penalties for abandoning watercraft and reduced the number of days a boat can be left on the water before it's considered abandoned.

The Abandoned Vessels, Derelict Vessels, and Sunken Vessels bill received unanimous support from both the House and Senate — including Leber.

The bill defines abandoned boats as watercraft that are left on the water 10 days after DNR tags them. Owners found guilty of abandoning a boat could be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to 60 days, or both. Previous legislation limited the penalty to $5,000 or 30 days in jail.

Leber also threw his support behind the South Carolina Waterways Protection Act, which would tack on a $3 fee to boaters' tax bills. The money would be used to create a fund for removing abandoned and derelict boats in state waterways, but the bill never made it out of a House committee.

This was the tipping point for the group of neighbors, who had spent months asking the senator to retrieve the sailboat and had offered help moving Rebellion.

"That was the catalyst that really made us upset," Shelton said.

"Is he, being a state senator, either sponsoring or supporting the bill that's going to charge all of us to get his boat out of the marsh?" Dewberry asked.

Leber said May 19 he is planning to pay for the boat's removal.

Reach Ali Rockett at 843-901-1708. Follow her on Twitter @AliRockettPC.

Mission & Vision

To improve health outcomes that preserve and optimize life in South Carolina and beyond

In partnership with our communities, leading health innovation for the lives we Touch regardless of social circumstance

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Across all imperatives, ensure internal alignment and collaboration to deliver a unified, aligned outreach plan for MUSC Health.

Build Trust: Establish trust in our communities; MUSC is seen as a valued and dependable health system.

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Philanthropy: Partner with philanthropic groups and donors to fund community interventions.

Resources

Meet Our Team

Quenton Tompkins, Executive Director [email protected]

Dr. Cristin Adams, Medical Director

Kim Balaguer, Program Manager [email protected]

Dr. Shawn Gathers, Program Manager [email protected]

Dr. Zakevia Lewis-Kendrick, Program Manager, Violence Prevention [email protected]

Brenda Strople, Clinical Outreach Coordinator [email protected]

MUSC External Event Request Form

This event request form is designed to be shared with any external community agencies, events, or groups that are interested in having a representative from MUSC at their event. Once the event request form has been submitted, a member of the Office Community Engagement will promptly share the information with the relevant department or office being considered to provide the service. Fulfillment of the requests will ideally come from a local MUSC team/department within the service area of the respective event. However, in the event it cannot be fulfilled locally, the event may be fulfilled by others outside of the service area. We ask that request are submitted at least one month prior to the actual event date. Submission of a request does not guarantee MUSC's participation, all requests are subject to review and may be declined. For questions please email Kim Balaguer at [email protected].

Please use this link to request MUSC's participation in your next community event.

STOP (Stand Together as One to Prevent) Violence Task Force

Purpose: To reduce violence and support recovery for those that experience violence in the greater Charleston and North Charleston communities.

Guiding Principals:

Goal: Create a success collaborative model of violence reduction that is reproducible across communities.

2023, the STOP Violence Task Force launched a Working Group aimed at addressing gun violence through both prevention and intervention. This initiative brought together a diverse range of leaders and has made significant progress in its mission to reduce gun violence through both prevention and intervention. Their continued commitment to solution-focused, evidence-informed, community-engaged, and humanity-centered principles ensures that their efforts will address the immediate challenges posed by gun violence and promote healing and long-term stability.

MUSC's efforts against violence have made substantial progress through the operation of The STOP Violence Task Force in its mission to reduce gun violence through both prevention and intervention. The commitment will continue through efforts to address ongoing challenges and as we continue to change what is possible. For more information email Dr. Zakevia Lewis-Kendrick at [email protected].