Auto Mechanicin North Charleston, SC

Perennial champion North Charleston will serve as the host team for the 2023 Dixie Majors baseball World Series beginning on July 21.

A total of 11 teams from eight states will compete for the World Series title. Games will be played on Kenny Wilkinson Field at Collins Park in North Charleston and at Charleston Southern University. Dixie Majors is for players 19-under and most rosters include college players who are eligible.

North Charleston, managed by Wilkinson, has won 10 World Series titles, including the last two years. This year marks the sixth time since 1998 that North Charleston has hosted the World Series, but the first time since 2013.

“It’s a honor to host the World Series,” Wilkinson said. “It’s good baseball and we encourage all baseball fans to come on out and be a part of the event.”

States represented in the 2023 World Series include South Carolina, Texas, Georgia (two teams), Tennessee (two teams), Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Virginia and the host team. A team from Westminster is the South Carolina representative as the state champion.

Two games on July 21 at Collins Park will kickstart the event, with North Charleston taking on Virginia at 5 p.m. Opening day festivities include an Air Force flyover during the pregame ceremonies. Mississippi will play one of the two teams from Tennessee at 7:30 p.m.

Charleston Southern will host two games on Saturday and two games on Sunday. Games at Collins Park also will be played on the weekend, with the tournament shifting to Collins Park only beginning on July 24.

North Charleston enters the event as the favorite. Wilkinson’s team is solid defensively, returning the entire starting infield from last year’s championship team.

“I think defensively we’re good, we hit the ball well, but the key in these things is always pitching,” Wilkinson said. “We’ve got the arms but we have to consistently throw strikes. If we do that, we’ve got a chance. Last year we had to mix and match with the pitching and we got through it. We may have to do the same thing this year.”

Kevin Steelman, who just finished his freshman season at College of Charleston, will be the game one starter for North Charleston. Steelman was 5-0 during the summer schedule. Summerville High’s Maddox Webb and Pinewood Prep’s Luke Hartig will be counted on as well.

Infielder/pitcher Aryan Patel and outfielder Matt Lively play at The Citadel, while outfielders Ben Bullard and Deacon Cox play at College of Charleston.

Lane Tobin, a Summerville graduate and recent signee with The Citadel, is returning at shortstop.

Louisiana and Florida also have been title contenders in recent years and Wilkinson expects both squads to be formidable in this year’s tournament.

“No team walks through this tournament. Most games are competitive,” Wilkinson said. “We lost to Florida last year and had to come through the loser’s bracket to win it.”

MCR’s latest acquisition in The Palmetto State is just 10 minutes from the Charleston International Airport.

NEW YORK, September 07, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MCR — the country’s 3^rd-largest hotel owner-operator — has acquired the Courtyard by Marriott North Charleston, a four-story hotel with 138 rooms in North Charleston, South Carolina. The hotel was purchased with acquisition financing in place and is MCR’s fourth hotel in The Palmetto State.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230907054017/en/

Courtyard By Marriott North Charleston. (Photo: Business Wire)

Opened in 2019, the hotel is located 10 minutes from Charleston International Airport and 20 minutes from beautiful Downtown Charleston. With strong leisure demand driven by nearby beaches and entertainment venues, the area draws well over seven million visitors per year. From the many pristine beaches nestled along the area’s 60 miles of coastline to historic sites like Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historic Park, there is something for everyone.

So much to sea! Home to the deepest harbor on the East Coast, the Port of Charleston is one of the top 10 container ship ports in the U.S. by volume — making the area a major manufacturing and distribution hub for Volvo, Mercedes-Benz Vans, and Bosch, among others. It is also home to Boeing’s largest manufacturing, assembly, and delivery site in the Eastern U.S. with more than 7,500 employees. The facility is the only one in the world where Boeing makes the 787 Dreamliner.

Southern hospitality! After a day of meetings or exploring, relax and unwind at the hotel’s patio bar and fire pit area before settling down in one of our spacious rooms. The hotel is also home to The Bistro, your dining destination throughout the day — from fresh Starbucks coffee in the morning to dinner and a glass of wine after sunset. You can also squeeze in a workout at the hotel’s fitness center or do some laps in the outdoor pool. Business travelers will appreciate the hotel’s flexible, remote work-friendly spaces, as well as amenities including complimentary fast Wi-Fi and more than 1,000 square feet of on-site meeting space.

The is located at 7465 Northside Drive and features:

Reserve by phone at +1 (843) 572-7490 online at .

The Community Resource Center in North Charleston will soon offer free classes for any adult who wants to learn skills for manufacturing jobs.

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Through a private partnership with Neal Brothers Distribution, the Community Resource Center in North Charleston will soon offer free classes for any adult who wants to learn skills for manufacturing jobs.

Neal Brothers is investing in the program so the courses are free for adults. Neal Brothers CEO Daryll Ray Griffin says it’s important to acknowledge that college is not the only path. He believes the program will help expand their recruitment and support their workforce.

“The Community Resource Center is the epitome of giving a helping hand so Neal Brothers will always be a part for the Community Resource Center,” Griffin said.

The program has support from State Representative Wendell Gilliard who emphasized how important trade skills are and acknowledges how big the industry is in the Lowcountry. He says he plans to pre-file a bill for the second time next legislative session about manufacturing education.

“The bill will call for us to infuse in the curriculum in the State of South Carolina for the first time that we will teach our students advanced manufacturing,” Gilliard said.

Charleston County School Board member Courtney Waters says the trade industry is now included in the general discussion of education paths early on, but for many parents who didn’t have this option – they now have the opportunity to take classes.

“We have to wrap our arms around the parents who were not served by our education system decades before them. So, I appreciate so much this partnership with the private industry to bring necessary education to parents because we have to make sure we are providing support to entire families,” Water said.

She also mentioned her time working in the industry during the announcement and expressed her excitement for seeing other people discover what the job has to offer.

“As someone who was once upon a time forklift certified and worked in an advanced manufacturing facility, I really appreciate that this is the type of skill that gets someone above the entry-level salary and allows them to attain a skill,” Waters said.

Louis Smith, the Executive Director Community Resource Center, says the program is prepared to handle about 200 students. The center’s North Charleston campus features multiple classrooms and forklift training will happen on-site.

“We have partnered with many people throughout our community to make this happen. We want to make sure that all of our adults are able to get a decent job and a decent education. And as you know, the majority of the jobs now are going toward mass production,” Smith said.

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NORTH CHARLESTON — A piece of property that has remained owned by a Liberty Hill founding family for 150 years is now bringing new beginnings to residents.

The eight-unit Golden Dream Townhomes that includes one- to three-bedroom apartments is a partnership between the Lecque family and Metanoia, a nonprofit that seeks to provide affordable housing options for North Charleston residents.

Metanoia’s 50-year ground lease on the Lester Street property provides affordable housing opportunities for decades while the Lecque family maintains ownership.

Real Estate

“We’ve always been in the housing business,” said Carolyn Lecque, the great-great-granddaughter of William Lecque, one of the four freedmen who purchased the land in 1871 along with his brother Plenty Lecque, Aaron Middleton and Ishmael Grant.

Carolyn Lecque said her father completed several housing projects on the Lester Street property. He moved housing units from the former Navy base hospital to the property to open the Golden Dream Motel, named after a dream he had one night of a golden lining, Lecque said.

Now, Golden Dream Townhomes continues that legacy.

“I’m really happy for them,” said Lecque. “They’ll have safe, decent and affordable housing because that’s rare in these days and times.”

One of the residents, Ervin Clark, who uses a wheelchair, struggled to find affordable housing that was accessible after leaving Riverside Health and Rehab. During one of his weekly visits to the laundromat, he met Duncan Cheney, director of physical asset development with Metanoia, who mentioned the Golden Dream Townhome project.

“Being in a wheelchair I have stipulations on things, like I have to make sure there’s no steps, I have to make sure I can get inside the house,” said Clark, who is a graphic design artist. “I have to put all that in front of how much the rent might cost.”

Finding Golden Dream Townhomes relieved the stress and uncertainty of finding a home that meets his needs, he said. Now, the 46-year-old is looking forward to getting to know his neighbors and building a community.

“When people live stably, they’re able to do better for themselves, which is ultimately our mission,” said Bill Stanfield, CEO of Metanoia.

Those who qualify for the townhomes make between 30 percent and 80 percent of the area median income — according to the latest census, the median income for North Charleston is about $52,000 — and the cost of rent varies depending on the income level. For example, a two-bedroom unit with 50 percent AMI is $900 per month compared to a two-bedroom with 80 percent AMI is $1,300. The lowest cost is a 754-square-foot one-bedroom apartment at $395 with 30 percent AMI.

The townhome project that broke ground in 2019 was a dream of Carolyn Lecque and her brother James Lecque about four years prior, but they kept running into barriers that prevented the project from happening, Carolyn Lecque said. She said a voice from God told her to reach out to Metanoia, which ultimately led to this community-driven initiative to address the area’s growing housing crisis.

While the project continued to come across roadblocks, especially due to the pandemic, seeing it come to fruition left Lecque speechless.

One goal of the project was to use minority-owned contractors to complete the work, said Stanfield.

“All the development team, from the architect and engineer to the construction, general contractor are all Black-owned firms. It’s nice to build a project that is reflective of the neighborhood,” said Stanfield.

Lecque added it was “a special blessing to have this done by people who look like us.”

Golden Dream Townhomes is funded by the South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority and the South Carolina Department of Commerce’s Community Economic Development fund.

The need for affordable housing, like Golden Dream Townhomes, was evident in the number of applications for the apartments. Metanoia received over 200 applications for the eight units available. While Stanfield said there is always a desire to do more, seeing the families who are moving into the units is impactful.

“It’s an inspiration to see that people were able to move in here. They’re the real heroes. They’re working hard and trying to make much better for themselves and their families,” said Stanfield.

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. – Hurricane Idalia produced bands of storms across South Carolina’s Lowcountry on Wednesday, with at least one tornado north of Charleston causing damage.

First responders in Berkeley County reported only minor injuries when a car was apparently sideswiped by a quick twister.

A video showed tropical-storm-force winds in the region associated with the heavy rainfall when the tornado formed, lifting the vehicle and smashing it into another.

The tornado was one of several reports of waterspouts and funnel clouds in South Carolina but was the only incident where a touchdown happened as of Wednesday afternoon.

CHARLESTON SLAMMED WITH STORM SURGE AS IDALIA CONTINUES POUNDING SOUTHEAST

The National Weather Service office in Charleston will be tasked with surveying the damage and determining the rating of the twister on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.

Hurricane Idalia produced at least one other tornado in Florida, but there was not any widespread damage reported associated with the vortex.

Tornadoes often happen during hurricanes

Tropical cyclones are known to produce tornadoes, especially in the northeast quadrant of the storm.

According to the FOX Forecast Center, shear is typically the greatest in this sector as the storm interacts with other weather features and the land. The tornadoes are usually weak and short-lived, which appears to be what happened in the Lowcountry.

IDALIA DIGS INLAND AS TROPICAL STORM, IMMERSING SOUTHEAST IN FLOODWATERS FOLLOWING HISTORIC FLORIDA LANDFALL

The threat of tornadoes, flooding and gusty winds is expected to continue through Thursday morning for the Carolinas as the center of Idalia pushes eastward off the coast.

Florida and Georgia were the hardest hit states by the former Category 4 hurricane. During the peak of the event, more than half a million customers in the two states were without electricity.