The North Charleston Fire Department says Ashley Phosphate Road is partially open as crews remain on scene of a fire involving multiple mobile homes.

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The North Charleston Fire Department provided updated information Wednesday on a fire that damaged several mobile homes and required the temporary closure of a major roadway late Tuesday afternoon.

A total of nine adults and three children have been displaced by the fire, which damaged five homes on Beret Street, Assistant Fire Chief Chris Rainey said. EMS took one North Charleston firefighter to an area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

The fire department responded to a 911 call at 4:48 p.m. The first crews to arrive at the scene reported heavy smoke and flames coming from a single-family home.

“Crews made entry to extinguish the fire,” Rainey said. “Firefighters encountered heavy fire and heat inside the home. All residents had evacuated the home.”

They spotted fire extending to a second home and Rainey said high-wind conditions hampered efforts to put out the fires and caused flames to spread to three additional homes.

“This fire has been a wind-driven fire,” North Charleston Fire Safety Coordinator Laura Kondor said at the scene Tuesday night.

Firefighters were able to prevent the fire from spreading to a sixth home, Rainey said.

Kondor said the homes affected by the fire were either a complete loss or partially damaged.

John Marlowe lives across the street from where the fire broke out. He said he was doing yard work when he looked up and saw his neighbor’s home engulfed in flames.

“I was just weed-eating the yard and I looked across the street and saw a bunch of flames coming out of a house,” Marlowe said.

He said he ran over and grabbed a water hose, trying to put out the fire, but there wasn’t enough pressure in the hose to help.

“A bunch of houses went on fire; six houses went down and all of them my friends. All of them are without a home now,” Marlowe said.

Officials with the North Charleston Fire Department said there was not enough water supply in the area to support the amount of fire trucks on scene.

Officials said several power lines were also affected.

The fire forced officials to shut down a portion of Ashley Phosphate Road near the Cathedral of Praise to extend fire hoses for several hours, Rainey said.

Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the fire.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

NORTH CHARLESTON — Stand-up comedy in Charleston will have a new home not far from Park Circle after The Sparrow closes later this year.

Comedian Josh Bates announced a new venture with entrepreneur Rick Blind that will bring a combination bar and theater to 3324 Rivers Ave. The new space, set to open in in February, will include about 5,000 square feet of space divided between the bar, a 90-seat theater, a green room that doubles as a podcasting studio and a forthcoming VIP area.

The new comedy club that will step in for The Sparrow as the gym for Charleston stand-up comics sits across the street from the Starlight Motor Inn and next door to Jackrabbit Filly ownership’s new restaurant, King BBQ. The Sparrow became a hub for comics plying their craft in part due to its long-running weekly open mic nights.

Having a theater space means Wit’s End will be able to host other forms of entertainment as well. Future plans include bringing community theater events to the space, in addition to hosting sketch and improv comedy events. Bates said he and his partner might even work with King BBQ on events.

Comedy at The Sparrow became a spin-off brand that’s brought in rising stars in the stand-up world to Park Circle after the bar’s owner, Cami Kind, tapped Bates to evolve entertainment offerings in 2019.

In July, Kind announced the bar would close after more than a decade because of a lease dispute. She said that she would not reopen The Sparrow elsewhere.

The upcoming closing left Bates needing to find a new path forward for Comedy at The Sparrow, whose open mics became so popular that they switched from walk-in signups to advance registration on Mondays.

The last day of comedy at The Sparrow is Dec. 9. Bates said he plans on a smooth transition for comedy fans when Wit’s End opens in February. He has booked national comics to play in the club’s opening weeks, along with a concert series.

Bates said more information on the club will be shared in the coming months.

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NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - A North Charleston bookstore hosted its fourth annual “Banned Books Week” panel on Wednesday.

“Banned Books Week” is a national event promoted by the American Libraries Association that highlights historic book bans and their impact on access to information.

Librarians, authors and a bookstore owner gathered at Itinerant Literate Books in North Charleston to share their thoughts on the history and process of book bans.

Attendees say understanding what a “book ban” actually is, is critical in a time where many districts are seeing challenges to material. For example, Berkeley County is evaluating the content of 93 books right now.

READ MORE: Advocates, school board members question validity of parent’s 93 book challenges

“Overall, the reason we like to have this event is because we want the number one question I feel like we get in the store is like oh my gosh, this book was banned, like why was it banned?” Julia Turner, co-owner of Itinerant Literate Books, said.

Historically, certain books have had lasting bans in school districts, and the week even highlights books that were and are banned by certain countries. Turner says now, the “ban” that makes headlines, is people challenging books that appear in schools and libraries.

“It’s not like it’s not the government. That’s like saying you can’t read these are people in your community raising these issues,” Turner said.

So far, a Berkeley County Committee has reviewed 10 of the 93 challenged books. The committee recommends keeping at least four books district-wide and three in just high schools.

“I would say that determining age appropriateness is something that our librarians are best equipped to do. They often went and got master’s degrees. These are these are highly qualified people,” ACLU Communications Director Paul Bowers said.

Most at the event opposed major bans across a school district, instead asking people to take up content conversations with their student’s teachers and librarians to create a personal path for their reading journey.

“I’m a parent myself, and my kids are getting to an age where we talk about current events. And I think, you know, there are things that you can decide as a parent, my kids, but where we draw the line was deciding that nobody’s kid is,” Bowers said.

The request that the Berkeley County School Board evaluate 93 books came from one parent – and was sent on behalf of all school district students. The district says they are following policy by having a committee review the books and make recommendations.

The next evaluation meeting of the next 10 books will take place on Oct. 26.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

The City of North Charleston and Dorchester County have taken the first steps in a land partnership to build a new senior center.

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The City of North Charleston and Dorchester County have taken the first steps in a land partnership to build a new senior center.

Dorchester County Council unanimously approved a notion Monday night to continue the collaboration with the city to construct the facility on Patriot Boulevard.

“It’s truly a collaborative effort that shows how governments can work together for the greater good,” North Charleston City Councilmember Kenneth Skipper said.

Plans for the center are still in the early stages, but officials say it will mirror two existing locations in North Charleston: one in the Northwood area and another on Dorchester Road.

The cost for construction is set to be around $7 million, with $2 million being granted from the state.

“Being able to maximize what we’re getting from the state, assistance from the county as well as what the city can do, it’s really just a win for everybody” Skipper said.

This partnership is not the first between the city and Dorchester County.

The center will be just a walk away from two other projects connected to such collaborations: the city’s newest aquatic center and a public library, set to open its doors on Friday.

The new center will prioritize health and wellness and socialization for seniors by providing access to exercise equipment, group classes, outdoor spaces and more.

Officials say this decision comes from a need to put our local aging populations first and to create positive relationships between Lowcountry governments.

“We are not working in a vacuum, we all work together,” Skipper said. “Oftentimes, we focus on the youth and we forget about the aging population. It’s important that they have activities and places to go to exercise and interact with others.”

The project still has to go through planning and design work before construction starts.

Once it begins, Skipper told residents to expect it to take around 18 months to complete.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Facility will insource production of key security products and bring new jobs to the region

RESTON, Va., July 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Leidos (NYSE:LDOS), a FORTUNE^® 500 science and technology leader, today announced plans to establish a new security systems manufacturing facility in North Charleston, South Carolina. This will be the company's third security systems manufacturing location in the U.S., expanding its presence and support to customers. Leidos will invest $31.7 million in the new facility, creating up to 170 new jobs in the region over time.

"This facility brings more manufacturing back into the U.S. and expands Leidos' global security capabilities for the aviation and critical infrastructure markets," said Jim Moos, Leidos Civil Group president. "We're thrilled to expand into the North Charleston area and look forward to making a positive impact in the community."

The new facility will produce security systems for Leidos' Security Enterprise Solutions (SES) operation. SES offers a comprehensive suite of fully automated and integrated products for aviation, shipping ports, border crossings and critical infrastructure customers. These systems provide threat detection by screening baggage, cargo and people at checkpoints around the world.

"Leidos' $31.7 million investment in their new facility here in the Lowcountry will lead to significant job growth and economic development," said Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC-1). "We congratulate them on their expanding operation and thank them for putting their faith in South Carolina."

Located in Ladson Industrial Park, the new 150,000-square-foot facility will enable Leidos to onshore more manufacturing increasing the company's critical capacity to support its growing customer base. The new plant will optimize manufacturing efficiency, quality and safety through application of best-in-class manufacturing processes. The facility is currently under construction and is expected to be fully operational by the first half of 2024.

About Leidos

Leidos is a Fortune 500^® technology, engineering, and science solutions and services leader working to solve the world's toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, civil, and health markets. The company's 46,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $14.4 billion for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2022. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

SOURCE Leidos