Commercial Roof Repair in Goose Creek, SC

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCBD) – Chicken Salad Chick is set to open its highly anticipated location in Goose Creek next week with a week full of special giveaways.

The new location off St. James Avenue is the third to open in the tri-county by co-owners Julie Beville and Michelle Singleton of Sing Bev Hospitality. The other locations include Summerville and Mount Pleasant.

Chicken Salad Chick will open its new location on the morning of Tuesday, February 21. The first 100 customers who line up beginning at 7:00 a.m. will win free chicken salad for a year when the restaurant opens at 10:30 a.m.

Other giveaways are planned Wednesday through Saturday and include special merch from the popular restaurant:

• Tuesday, Feb. 21 – Free Chicken Salad for a Year – The first 100 guests will receive one large Quick Chick of chicken salad per month for an entire year, with one of those lucky guests randomly selected to win one large Quick Chick of chicken salad per week. Guests may arrive starting at 7 a.m. for grand opening day only.

• Wednesday, Feb. 22 – The first 100 guests to purchase a Chick Special will receive a FREE Chick Special on their next visit.

• Thursday, Feb. 23 – The first 100 guests to purchase a Chick Special will receive a FREE Chicken Salad Chick tote bag.

• Friday, Feb. 24 – All day long, Chick fans can enjoy buy two Quick Chicks and get one FREE!

• Saturday, Feb. 25 – The first 100 guests to purchase a Chick Special will receive a FREE commemorative Chicken Salad Chick cup and FREE drink with their meal.

“Michelle and I always say one of our favorite parts of bringing the Chick to new neighborhoods is the opportunity to positively impact the lives of our guests,” said Beville. “We’ve gotten to know our fans here in the Lowcountry over the past several years, and we know they rely on us for fresh, made-from-scratch meals they can enjoy with friends and family in our dining room or on the go. They also appreciate the warm hospitality of our restaurant teams and the way we support local organizations. We can’t wait to be their new go-to spot in Goose Creek.”

The restaurant will be open Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCBD)- Berkeley County School District (BCSD) Superintendent Dr. Anthony Dixon has spent five visits to local coffee shops taking 375 minutes of meetings over the past weeks.

“Coffee and Conversations,” is a way for people to speak with Dr. Dixon one on one and face to face.

Parents of school children, local business owners, county clergy and others have been coming to get a cup of coffee across Berkeley County.

“We are very diverse. We’ve had individuals come that have children in our district or they may just be constituents or members of our county,” said Dr. Dixon. “Overwhelmingly, it has been a great experience.”

Many different issues have been mentioned to the superintendent as a result of the conversations.

“Teacher retention, teacher pay, teacher recruitment and mental health access,” said Dr. Dixon. “Wondering what we are doing as a district to ensure that we are teaching and learning at high levels after the pandemic.”

One of the parents who took the time for a conversation with Dr. Dixon is Krystal Leonhardt. She is a leader is the Girl Scouts of America and a parent of multiple students in BCSD schools.

“I think it’s really great that he is coming out into the community and allowing the opportunity for parents and community members to speak with him face to face individually,” said Leonhardt.

The mother of three was pleased to meet the county’s top educator in person to speak to him about her mission in local schools.

“We are trying to grow troops and volunteers in the area. We are trying to help grow in Moncks Corner” said Leonhardt. “I just thanked him for allowing me to go into the schools, talk to the principals and talk to the guidance counselors and just being out in the community.”

But, there were some questions about school zoning from Leonhardt.

“So for my kids it’s kind of really weird the way things are separated, but they assured me that it’s something that’s in the process that they’re working on,” said Leonhardt.

There are plans for more community outreach in the future. BCSD says that the Philip Simmons community will have a chance to meet with education leaders soon.

Dr. Dixon says that he has learned how many great teachers BCSD has and knows that people want to see a high level of education maintained by their schools.

“I’ve been able to have conversations with people who have great ideas,” said Dr. Dixon.

Mario Anderson is ready to seize the moment.

That was the message the new South Carolina running back gave ahead of the Gamecocks’ start to spring practice.

Anderson, a transfer from nearby Newberry College, will have a chance to earn the starting running back position with the departure of MarShawn Lloyd to Southern Cal. He and returnee JuJu McDowell head to spring practice next week as the likely candidates to be the team’s top tailback.

Anderson said McDowell has helped with the transition and showed him the ropes since his arrival at USC in January.

The former Stratford High standout earned All-American honors last season at Newberry and left the school with 3,301 yards (third most in school history) and 35 touchdowns.

“I come in with a little sense of hunger and just to seize every opportunity that I can,” Anderson told reporters last week. “... Every day I wake up blessed. Not everyone has the opportunity to play college ball. It is a slimmer percentage to play at this level. It is a blessing to wake up and drive to the facility every day.”

Stratford coach Dennie McDaniel saw first-hand Anderson’s hunger in high school — and it still continues. Anderson stopped by the school in Goose Creek this week for a workout while USC was on spring break.

McDaniel was at Stratford for Anderson’s final two years. He was an assistant coach during his junior year and then head coach for Anderson’s final season. Anderson sat out his sophomore year of high school after transferring back to South Carolina after attending school in Ohio.

Anderson served on the scout team as a high school sophomore became the feature back his final two years, rushing for more than 1,000 yards in both his junior and senior seasons at Stratford.

Anderson initially committed to Charleston Southern but ended up at Newberry after a coaching change at CSU.

While Anderson’s running ability stood out, he continued to push and demand excellence from teammates during workouts, McDaniel said, encouraging them to finish reps and persevere through adversity.

“He called somebody out when they weren’t doing what they were supposed to be doing,” McDaniel said. “He would hold people to a certain standard.. He is by far one of the most talented guys I have ever coached but the hardest worker as well.”

McDaniel said Anderson told him he was thinking of putting his name in the transfer portal and hoped to finish his career at a bigger school. USC running backs coach Montario Hardesty called McDaniel to talk about Anderson and the Gamecocks’ interest in him.

“I reached out to Mario after I talked to Coach Hardesty. I told him I gave them your number and Mario started laughing and said something like, ‘Yeah right, coach,’ ” McDaniel said. “He called me back two hours later and said they had a great conversation. Then, that is when the relationship started to build.”

Anderson committed to the Gamecocks shortly after that. He’s one of nine transfers USC landed during the first transfer portal window that closed Jan. 18.

The 5-foot-9, 208-pound Anderson described his running as an “old-school style” and compared it to Marshawn Lynch, who was known to run defenders over during his college and NFL career. But McDaniel also said Anderson has the speed to back up with his power.

“He is a power back with some speed. He is not going to juke you 10 times on a run. He will make one cut and if he gets a crease he is going to take it to the house,” McDaniel said. “... He is excited. I think he thought at first USC might be a little big for him, but he realizes this is where he belongs. And I think he will have a great year.”

Guest columnist

We woke before daybreak in anticipation of a hot air balloon ride. It has been on the docket for over a year now, but whenever it is planned, either the weather or our schedules have prevented it. This time seemed like a charm until the phone rang at 6:30 a.m. and we learned that three out of three balloonists recommended not flying.

Though the conditions seemed perfect to my untrained eye, the balloonist said the winds were not conducive, and I was very grateful that he knew this.

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Which is precisely how my husband and I ended up on the trail off Goose Creek meadow, following along the shore of Lake Lafayette, early that morning. I am not sure if it was the time of day or just happenstance that we encountered a loud bird that sounded a bit like a woman crying in distress. We walked a long time along the path, hearing the cries but never seeing the bird. The barren trees should have helped, it seemed. We felt like the bird was keeping pace with us for a good while and then it seemed to be getting further ahead while still in hearing range.

When we came to a short side trail that protruded like a tiny finger into the marsh, I followed it. And up from the shallow water, through a maze of barren branches, a bird took flight, landing on a small tree at a distance from us. The beak was long and curved like an ibis, but rather than the usual white feathers, this bird’s feathers were brown. He was too far away to discern if he was speckled, but he appeared larger than a juvenile ibis, which is dark. I hope he was a limpkin.

Call of the limpkin

For years, limpkins were plentiful in our area along the Wakulla River, where they fed on the apple snail that lived in abundance there. But changes in the environment of the river, due in large part to fertilizers washing into the river and creating aggressive growth among some of the grasses while hampering others, may have reduced the apple snail population and, hence, the limpkins.

On one of our earlier walks in the beautiful JR Alford Greenway Park, we have spotted a limpkin on the Piney Z side of the western edge of the lake after hearing her mournful cry. It would be nice to know she has company.

As we continued our walk in the early morning, birds of many kinds were joining the chorus, and it felt like this walk was one of sounds over sights. I thought about the excellent documentary, “Into America’s Wild,” that I had seen last year at the IMAX theater with my sweet friend, Nabila, from Afghanistan.

The film features breathtaking North American landscapes and the unbreakable human-nature bond in action. Though it would be difficult to say which of the five stories told in the beautiful film was most powerful, I found the story of Emma Faye most remarkable and inspiring.

Feeling the sounds of nature

Emma Faye went profoundly deaf at the age of 3 and has spent her life courageously turning a disability into an ability. She is Founder and Executive Director of “Aid the Silent,” a nonprofit organization that strives to achieve equality for persons who are deaf.

Emma Faye is a feisty advocate, accomplished musician, and sought-after national speaker who has used the platform of beauty pageants, the Governor of Texas’ Committee of People with Disabilities, her staff position with Young Life, and her nonprofit, to support and encourage those with hearing loss.

In the film, Emma is sharing her love of nature with children who are “hearing” for the first time through vibrating backpacks and headphones that allow soundwaves to be absorbed by the body. These portable tactile sound systems allow them to “feel” the ambient sounds around them and add fresh nuance to the rich natural experience they were seeing.

According to the film crew, the segment showing the walk in the Cypress Gardens in South Carolina with the children “hearing” the natural sounds around them, was an emotional highlight. The film producer agrees. “It’s my favorite scene in terms of sheer emotion and storytelling,” says Greg MacGillivray. “Emma is such a fantastic young woman, continually coming up with great ideas for how to improve the lives of people in the deaf community and there’s just such joy in that sequence with the faces of these kids lighting up.”

Women spreading a positive message

Recalling the sheer delight in the faces of the children on the film as they not only saw but heard the sounds of nature in the Cypress Gardens of South Carolina, deepens my own gratitude for the ways in which the natural world blesses us all.

I can’t be sure that the bird I finally saw in the woods was a limpkin or even the bird whose prominent call accompanied us on our walk. I am sure that we are fortunate to have so many lovely woodland places in our community to engage in the bond between us and the natural world.

I am also sure as we enter this month designated as Women’s History Month, of the tremendous impact that women have in the betterment of the world. Emma Faye is a stellar example of one who has faced adversity with confidence and improved not only her own circumstances but that of countless others.

I received a call from my friend, Nabila, this week. In her broken English, she wished me a Happy International Women’s Day. I was deeply touched by this kindness and told her that she was one of the strongest and bravest women I know, enduring so much and maintaining such a positive spirit.

The significant role that women play in this world and in our country needs to be recognized and honored, now more than ever. Like the limpkin, many women are crying in distress as their human rights are violated and they need to be heard.

I pray we all will find the time to reflect upon the irreplaceable contributions of women, who like Emma Faye, want everyone to hear that we all matter.

The Rev. Candace McKibben is an ordained minister and pastor of Tallahassee Fellowship.

A brand-new park opened in Goose Creek on Friday with the focus of being “a park built for everyone.”

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - A brand-new park opened in Goose Creek on Friday with the focus of being “a park built for everyone.”

The $9 million project, Central Creek Park, hopes to be inclusive towards everyone with volleyball and basketball courts, a splash pad, a food truck pavilion and pickleball courts.

Over 26,000 square-feet, ‘Debra’s Playground’ will offer a wide range of accessible activities for people with physical or visual disabilities. The surfacing is all wheelchair accessible, and the equipment is based on sensory items for everyone to enjoy.

Families who include children with disabilities were the first invited to play at the park after this morning’s ribbon cutting. Nicole Valentine, mother to her special needs daughter, says other parks have never really been concerned about including all the different aspects of sensory play before.

“It’s never really kept in mind the heart of all children to be fully inclusive, and even down to having the fence around for those kids who love to run,” Valentine says. “It’s very important and it does so much for parent’s safety concerns to be able to just come here, and you almost get a little bit of relief watching your children play and not be so stressed out.”

The City of Goose Creek hosted a tribute to the donors of the park ahead of the ribbon cutting ceremony. Goose Creek Recreation Director Crystal Reed addressed the city and sponsors after working for months on the development.

“Central Creek Park sets our community apart and creates opportunities to remove barriers, increase self-esteem, develop community culture where everyone benefits from health, fitness and social connections,” Crystal says. “Thousands of children and adults across Berkeley County of all abilities have benefited from our therapeutic recreation program over the past several years; because of you, we just raised the bar with Central Creek Park.”

Parents of children with special needs say that it means the world to them to see their children experience a park they can truly enjoy. Kathy Kackley, parent to Trista Kutceher, travel the U.S. together promoting inclusivity in parks and compared other parks to Central Creek Park.

“There’s something here for everyone; there’s something here everyone can do,” Kackley says. “We like to be inclusive in our play and in our life, and we are very appreciative that Goose Creek has stepped up and has a place for everybody to play together.”

Goose Creek Assistant Recreation Director, Nicole Herrera Murray, explains how the city worked to choose specific pieces of equipment for special needs children to use. After planning and researching for months, she says Friday was a dream come true.

“I’ve been dreaming of this day for a really long time. It’s really amazing to see everyone enjoying and hearing the screams behind us is just everything that I’ve ever wanted,” Murray says.

The public is invited to join in on the fun Friday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. or Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 47 Old Moncks Corner Rd.

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