Driving School in North Charleston, SC

NORTH CHARLESTON — The wait for the interchange on Interstate 26 between Ashley Phosphate Road and U.S. Highway 78 is over.

Charleston County has completed construction for the Palmetto Commerce Interchange, which is intended to enhance commutes by reducing travel times and increasing mobility, says county project manager Mackenzie Kelley.

It will open to the public Nov. 17 after a ribbon cutting ceremony at 1 p.m.

Located between U.S. Highway 78 and Ashley Phosphate Road, the diamond interchange will connect Weber Boulevard in the Ingleside tract with Interstate 26. The design doesn't extend Weber Boulevard into North Charleston's neighborhoods on the eastern side of the interstate, but on- and off-ramps from the westbound lane will guide traffic to and from the Ingleside development via Weber Boulevard.

The interchange will connect I-26 directly to Palmetto Commerce Parkway and plans also include a 10-foot bike and pedestrian path along Weber Boulevard from Ingleside Boulevard to Salamander Drive, crossing I-26.

The project was completed ahead of schedule, as county officials initially expected to finish the interchange in early 2026.

Construction started in August 2023, and the total project cost is nearly $90 million. It was funded by the 2016 transportation sales tax.

While the project has been generally met with support — North Charleston residents said they looked forward to the new and accessible bike path — residents have raised concerns about traffic noise the interchange will bring.

A sound barrier is outside the county’s scope of work, but the county conducted noise studies that specifically analyzed the Northwood Estates area using models that predicted noise through 2040.

The study determined that a sound barrier does not meet the state Department of Transportation’s Traffic Noise Abatement Policy criteria, so DOT would not approve the construction of one.

Residents of Northwood Estates previously told The Post and Courier that they have asked for a sound barrier for years. North Charleston City Councilwoman Stephanie Ganaway-Pasley, who represents the district Northwood Estates is in, has met with local representatives and state leaders to continue the push for a sound barrier.

She previously told The Post and Courier she thinks the best option would be to construct a 25-foot-tall concrete wall, compared to a wood or metal barrier. Ganaway-Pasley estimates the barrier to cost around $17 million and would have to be a collaborative effort among the city, county and state.

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The City of North Charleston has approved the next steps for a new high school that will renovate the former Chicora Elementary School building.

Metanoia, a local nonprofit, has worked on plans for the Cristo Rey Charleston High School for years despite setbacks, including a fire in 2020 that destroyed the historic auditorium.

“We’re about to start construction back in 2020. The building had a big fire. We had to go through a long insurance claim and now we’re back at the place of finally being able to close on construction and get started with this major project for the neighborhood here,” CEO of Metanoia Bill Stanfield said.

Cristo Rey will serve lower-income students who attend classes four days a week and participate in internships at local businesses one day a week.

“By the time they graduate high school, they’ve already got four years of professional experience of working through these internships,” Stanfield said.

The building has been empty since 2012. Plans call for preserving historical elements during renovation.

“This building just has such a rich history in North Charleston. It served, the first wing of it was built in the 1930s. So many people and families came through this building. So many young people went to school here,” Stanfield said.

The North Charleston City Council provided a statement on the redevelopment project.

“This City is excited to see this project finally come to life after many hurdles including a devastating fire that destroyed the historic auditorium. The auditorium will be rebuilt as part of the creation a new campus for Christo Rey, an innovative college and career-preparatory school that exclusively serves students from families with limited economic resources.”

Stanfield said the school aligns with Metanoia’s mission.

“We deploy a strategy of listening constantly, walking with families to discover their strengths and release their brilliance all the while kind of rejecting the barriers that they may face every day,” Stanfield said.

Construction is set to begin in December, with the school scheduled to open in August 2027.

For more information about the school, you can visit here.

Children interacting with community partners at 2024 "Safety Town" (provided)

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — This weekend, MUSC Children’s Health is teaming up with local first responders to keep kids safe and have some fun while doing it.

The event, called “Safety Town,” is free for the community and part of a national effort to raise awareness about childhood injuries, one of the leading causes of death among children across the country. It also comes ahead of National Injury Prevention Day, recognized nationwide on Tuesday, Nov. 18.

On Saturday, Nov. 15, children in Charleston will get the chance to hop on a tricycle and ride through a miniature city, complete with a fire station, police department, school, and hospital. Along the way, they’ll learn about safety and meet the community partners who help keep families safe every day.

“It just helps us kind of shine a light on the injury prevention work that we do,” said Mary Beth Vassy, MUSC Health Pediatric Trauma Injury Prevention coordinator. “But also how important it is to make sure that we are talking with families and trying to work with them to prevent injuries in our communities for our children.”

Vassy says the event highlights a serious issue seen often inside MUSC’s trauma center.

“We see preventable injuries come into our trauma center all the time,” she said. “Oftentimes they do have to do with bicycle accidents, car wrecks, things like that. So this day is really important for us, especially because we are a member site of the organization that founded National Injury Prevention Day, which is the Injury Free Coalition for Kids. So we really like to highlight this day as a member organization, but also because we know that this is affecting our community.”

The event – hosted by MUSC Children’s Health, the Injury Free Coalition for Kids, and Safe Kids Charleston Area – will also include local first responders and community partners who’ll talk with families about their roles in keeping kids safe.

“We have community partners who kind of represent each of the places in Safety Town, so they can talk to the kids more in depth about what their roles are and kind of what that looks like in their specific area,” Vassy explained.

READ MORE | "Charleston officials prioritize pedestrian safety with traffic area DUI checkpoints plan."

From bike safety to everyday decision-making, the goal is to give kids practical tools for staying safe.

“We’re hoping that kids and families just kind of get a better understanding of how to keep themselves safe in different ways around the community,” Vassy said. “We’re also hoping that we can provide bike helmets to some kids who need them, because we know that oftentimes we have kids who are injured on bicycles that come into our hospital that didn’t have helmets on.”

The event will also feature free bike helmets, face painting, local mascots, and plenty of hands-on learning.

“We do have the free bike helmets, we have free face painting,” Vassy added. “We also have some appearances by some local mascots, which will be exciting — along with just some other great community resources that are available.”

“Safety Town” takes place Saturday, Nov. 15, at the North Charleston Athletic Complex at 1455 Monitor St., North Charleston, SC 29405, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. It’s free and open to everyone, though registration in advance is encouraged.

Anyone interested in attending should email [email protected].

Aircraft manufacturer Boeing broke ground on Nov. 7, 2025, in North Charleston, S.C., to mark the start of its Boeing South Carolina (BSC) site expansion.

Home of the company's 787 Dreamliner program, BSC is set to increase production to a rate of 10 airplanes per month in 2026.

Late last year, Boeing announced plans to expand and upgrade the site near Charleston International Airport (CHS) and add a second campus.

Greenville Business Magazine reported Nov. 10 that Boeing is investing more than $1 billion in this infrastructure effort and plans to create more than 1,000 new jobs over the next five years.

When completed, the larger facility will include:

• A new final assembly building that is similar in size to the current final assembly structure, which encompasses roughly 1.2 million sq. ft., along with airplane production positions, production support and office space.

• A parts preparation facility, a vertical fin paint shop, Flight Line stalls and other production areas at the airport campus.

• Additions to the Boeing Interiors Responsibility Center, where many of the 787's interior components are made.

Expansion Needed to Keep Up With Demand

So far, 90 customers from around the world have placed more than 2,250 orders for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner family, making it the best-selling widebody passenger airplane of all time.

After more than 1,200 deliveries, the 787 backlog stands at nearly 1,000 airplanes, including more than 300 orders added just this year.

In all, the commercial aviation industry is expected to need more than 7,800 new widebody airplanes over the next two decades, according to Boeing's Commercial Market Outlook.

"We continue to see strong demand for the 787 Dreamliner family and its market-leading efficiency and versatility," said Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "We are making this significant investment today to ensure Boeing is ready to meet our customer's needs in the years and decades ahead.

"This site expansion is a testament to the incredible work of our Boeing teammates and deepens our commitment to them, to South Carolina and to American manufacturing," she added in a company news release.

For more than a decade, BSC in North Charleston has been the home of the full 787 Dreamliner production cycle. There, the Boeing factory's teams fabricate, assemble and deliver the company's three Dreamliner models — the 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 — to customers around the world.

Boeing first established its Palmetto State operations in 2009 and today employs more than 8,200 people across its campuses in North Charleston and in Orangeburg, south of Columbia.

"Boeing's continued investment in South Carolina is a tremendous vote of confidence in our state's people and business climate," South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster noted in the news release. "This $1 billion expansion and the creation of 1,000 new jobs will strengthen our position as a global leader in aerospace and advanced manufacturing."

In addition, McMaster said, "We are grateful for Boeing's partnership and commitment to the Lowcountry, which will bring new opportunities and economic prosperity across our state."

Boeing officials project that the building effort will employ more than 2,500 people working a total of more than 6.2 million construction hours through the joint venture of Charleston's HITT Contracting and BE&K Building Group, based in Morrisville, N.C. in that state's Research Triangle Park.

HITT Contracting is a top national commercial construction firm with offices in 14 U.S. markets; and BE&K Building Group is recognized as a leading national design-build and construction management firm specializing in aviation and aerospace construction.

Officials with the airplane maker said they feel confident that the joint venture, along with that of BRPH, a Charleston architectural and engineering firm, will deliver the infrastructure upgrades for the Boeing 787 factory expansion on time and within budget.

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Many federal workers are missing their second paycheck as the government shutdown comes to an end, prompting community organizations across the Lowcountry to organize food drives for affected families.

The North Charleston Community Resource Center and Charleston Labor Council are leading efforts to provide care packages filled with chicken, fresh fruits, vegetables, bread and nonperishables for federal workers who continue working without pay.

“We’re getting phone calls and phone calls and emails after emails. A federal worker saying, ‘I don’t have. I don’t know where to turn to,’” April Lott, the Charleston Labor Council president, said.

Organizations are gathering food donations by the truckload as federal workers struggle to keep up with grocery bills while they have been maintaining their duties at locations like the airport.

Food banks are already stretched thin because of the lapse in benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Banks across the Lowcountry are looking to ease as much food and financial uncertainty as much as they can.

Organizations wanted to create something specifically for federal workers, Lott said.

“A lot of food banks are stretched thin with the loss of SNAP benefits as well. But we wanted to do something just for our federal workers to let them know that their community supports them as they support us,” Lott said.

The Charleston Labor Council has held previous food drives with lines wrapped around the building to help those impacted by the loss of SNAP benefits. Based on calls and emails alone, Lott expects between 500 and 600 federal workers to seek assistance.

Residents can donate food at the Community Resource Center until the end of the day Thursday. Volunteers can help distribute food starting Friday at noon.

Federal workers seeking assistance should bring their personal verification card and be ready to line up by 4 p.m. Friday when doors open for distribution. The Community Resource Center hopes they can help every worker who lines up, but will keep their doors open until every box is gone.

“It’s been mentally crushing for a lot of people, but we remember what we do and we remember that we’re here to help the public and that’s why you have federal workers that show up every day to do the work,” Lott said. “Yes, sadly come paycheck there’s nothing there, but this is the community’s opportunity.”

Government workers are not all immediately set to receive pay or backpay; as federal operations slowly return to normal, officials say payments will be rolled out. The timeline depends on the agency.

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